Hotel Transylvania
by Jumannji
Summary: I never believed in vampires, monsters, all that hokus-pokus stuff. But then I went along with my dad - a 21st century vampire hunter - into the dark forest which is told to be haunted by monsters, ghouls, ghost and vampires. I didn't believe in any of that stuff, I just went along to make my dad happy. But all that changed the second I entered Hotel Transylvania.
1. Chapter 1

"Vampies aren't real," I say, trotting over vines with my heavy boots.

"If vampires aren't real, then _why _are you here, so far in these dark woods?" my father asked me, pushing past a wall of bushes.

"I'm only here because you made me."

"I made you do no such thing!" He turns to me, hitting the butt of his silver staff on the ground. The staff was silver for a reason: in case a vampire attacks. He can just stab that sucker in the heart and kill him. The top of the staff is a silver sphere as a grip. Yeah, not so stylish, but Dad likes it.

"You specifically said - -" I deepen my tone of voice, making it sound deeper than his, "_Honey, if you're not doing anything this Friday night, I would like you to come camping with me. It will be fun._ Then I asked you if I had to and your precis words were... _yes!_"

Dad smirked and turned around, starting to walk again. He adds, "It's getting dark." And I look up, seeing the sky becoming a dark, creepy color. The clouds seem to move along as if they were forced to. And then I see two bats. They flew around the creepy clouds and Dad's eyes go straight to them.

"There they - " he starts, getting excited, but I cut him off.

"They're just bats, Dad. Just bats."

"Vampires can turn to bats."

"This is reality. Do you really think there are vampires out here?"

Dad doesn't say anything. I know he's mad. He always is. When I bring up the thought of there not being any vampires. He's literally been up to this vampire hunt ever since I was three. He claims that Dracula visited him in his dream, said something that Dad won't tell me, about _me, _and he's been searching for Dracula. Dracula? I think it's a big hoax. There are no such things as monsters. Or vampires. If vampires were real, we would be hearing about them on t.v.

We set up camp. Under a wall of thorns that's six feet off that ground, giving us a make-shift roof for where we're going to sleep. I'm sleeping in a tent, in a sleeping bag while Dad decides that he wants to sleep under the starts, not under the thorn roof. And then I fell asleep.

* * *

Everything is too quiet, and I wake up to nothingness. I get up, rubbing my eyes open and pull my hair from out of its braid. Bad idea, because I remembered the thorns. I crawl out of my sleeping bag and tent, then crouch my way out of the thorn walls. My dad is no where to be found.

"Shit," I mutter. Then, I raise my voice. "Dad?" I crouch back under the thorn roof and into my tent, retrieving a flashlight, a jacket, a gun and my cell phone. I shove my phone in my bra, the gun in my boot and slipped on my jacket, holding my flashlight. I turned the flashlight on and began walking. I couldn't see squat. I still called out for my father. Still, nothing.

"DAMMIT, DAD! STOP PLAYING AROUND! WHERE ARE YOU?" I scream into the woods. I hear something behind me, and it doesn't sound like human footsteps. It sounds like an animal. A bat flies over my head, and I freak out, my arms flailing over my head. I scream and run. To where? I don't know. I just run. I still hear the bat, it's weird noise it makes, it's really close. I see a clear path, and I start to simmer down a bit. But then I trip over something and scrape my arm on a thorn bush. I scream out cuss words and get up, acknowledging that I forgot to roll the sleeves of my jacket down. I know I'm bleeding. I can feel my blood slowly making its way down my arm. I hear the bat sounds even stronger this time.

I run.

I notice I'm going up a hill and stop, looking forward. A massive home. A mansion. Maybe Dad's in there! I start my pace again, turning my head, checking for those pesky bats again. But, they aren't there. I turn back around and feel my arm throbbing even more intense. Maybe the people here can fix my bloody arm. I don't even touch it, because I can feel a few thorns in there already. I pass a sign and it reads: Hotel Transylvania.

The door is massive, and I knock softly, feeling woozy from not eating. "H-Hello?" I call, knocking louder. "Is anyone home? I'm looking for my dad. Is he here? And . . . I fell. And hurt my arm. Can anyone h-" Before I can finish, the door opens, and there stands a tall, broad-shouldered man with slicked-back hair and dark clothing on. His face is pasty white and he's wearing a dark cape. It isn't Halloween, is it?

"I'm afraid your father isn't here, young lady," he says, and I see his canines. He's about to close the door, but I stop it with my good arm.

"Wait!" I say urgently. "Can you - - help me?" I hold out my arm and he looks at it, and I can tell he's holding his breath. He looks me straight in my eye, doesn't blink, and says, "Come in."

He moves aside, and I walk in, nodding my head and saying my thanks. My jaw practically hits the floor and I stop in mid-pace. I gawk at the beautiful scenery inside. It's like nothing I've seen before. Everything is so..._antique_-looking. Old, sort of. But I like it.

"Come along," he says and walks along the clean carpet. "My nephew Jonah should take care of your wound. He's very good with those things." He kept looking over his shoulder, his glassy, blue eyes looking at my arm. I hid it. Behind my back. I looked behind me and noticed tiny trickles of blood had landed on the carpet. I looked at my wound again. The cuts went from my wrist to _almost _my elbow. And it was deep. I didn't really see how big those thorns were, but by the looks of my wound, they were pretty big, and sharp as can be.

I don't even remember how we got to the third floor, it's as if I was brain washed. But the next thing I know, I'm lying down on a twin bed who's sheets are as red as my blood.

"Jonah should be here any second now," he said, turning on his heel to walk out of the room.

"Wait," I say, stopping him. "May I get your name?"

"I'm Drac - - Drake. My name is Drake."

"Drake? Okay, Drake. Thank you for helping me."

He nods, opens the door to leave, and there's a tall, toned guy with tousled black hair, as black as the night sky, and his eyes were bright blue. His skin as white as Drake's and he was wearing black, too. What a dark family Drake has here.

"This is Jonah," Drake says, gesturing towards his nephew. "My nephew will take care of your wound."

"So you bring her to my bedroom? I already changed the sheets this morning," Jonah says, waltzing in as if it was no one's business. "But, alright. If you insist. What's your probl-" Before he could finish, he saw my arm, and held his breath as well. Just like how Drake held his breath.

"Now..." Jonah said, clearing his throat. "Let me have a look."


	2. Chapter 2

I was biting on a towel, because Jonah didn't have anything to numb me up. Tears of pain streamed my cheeks, and I tried my hardest not to squeal or move. It's like he purposely shoves those tweezers in my arm, digging for the thorns. He pulls out a thorn that was deep in my arm, and I scream. I'm losing more blood. Not a lot, just drops of blood. It even dripped on the ground.

"I'm not going to stitch it up, you're already in a lot of pain," Jonah says, not making eye contact with me.

I rip the towel from my mouth, and I noticed that my jaw had locked. It finally softened up enough so I could talk. With my good arm, and wiped my tears away and saw my legs shaking. The pain was too much.

"This is going to hurt more," he says, and I look at him. "I'm just gonna - -" he pulls out a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

"You're shitting me," I say quickly. "You must be shitting me."

Jonah didn't expect me to cuss, and he chuckled a bit. "I'm not 'shitting' you. I'm being serious. I have to disinfect that. Now, stop being a baby and come here." He grabbed gauze, splashed a bit of rubbing alcohol on it and dabbed my arm. I stuffed the towel back in my mouth and shut my eyes tight, balling my hand up on the mattress. My breaths came in sputters and once he was done disinfecting my wound, I ripped the towel from my mouth once again.

"You did that on purpose," I said quietly.

"Honestly, I didn't. I wish I could've gave you some morphine or something. But I didn't have any."

I looked at him, I mean _really _looked at him. Does he get any sun at all? I thought to myself. His skin is flawless, not a sun mark or acne in sight. He looked like a male model, he _should _be a male model. He's built like one. But I can tell he's toned. His hands and arms look rough and strong, as if they would be able to rip me apart in one simple move.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"W-what?"

"How old are you?"

"Old enough."

"You look like you're my age. And you had that thread and needle ready to stitch me up before you said you wouldn't. How do you know this stuff?"

Jonah looks at me with the most intense blue eyes I've ever seen. "My dad used to be a doctor. He taught me everything he knows."

"Oh, where's you dad?" I ask, and then I regret saying anything. He gives me a sad, glassy look. "Oh, my God. I'm sorry, Jonah." His name escapes my mouth and I question the tone of it.

"It's fine. He . . . uh . . . died when I was younger. My mom ran away on us. When he died I had to come live with my uncle."

"I'm so, _so _sorry. I wish I hadn't said anything."

"Hey, it's fine. Everyone asks that. I look nothing like my uncle, that's why."

His dark, straight hair moves perfectly as he puts the rubbing alcohol, needle, thread, and gauze back in his cabinets. "This," he says, gesturing towards the whole room. ". . . is my bedroom. I'm sure you already know that. And if you would like to spend the night at Hotel Transylvania, my uncle would be happy to lend you a room for the night."

"Really?" I get excited, I can finally sleep on a good bed! Not on one that's covered with creepy-crawlies. But then I remember . . . "Shit. I can't stay here."

"Oh, why not?"

"My dad. I woke up, tried to find him, and he wasn't anywhere. So I tried to find him by walking around, then bats started chasing me and I ended up here."

Jonah looked at me, and smirked. "Chased..by bats?"

"Don't laugh at me! Those things freaked me out!"

Someone knocked on Jonah's bedroom door and kept knocking, but in a pattern. Jonah told me to stay put and he opened up the door wide enough so he can stick his head out. They were whispering, and after a moment, he closed the door.

"Well," he said, grabbing clean bandages and wrapping it around my wound, making me flinch. "You're going to have to spend the night here. There's heavy rain coming in. I'm sure your father is perfectly fine. Probably back where you and him slept."

"If he's back there, I have to go get him," I say urgently. "I can't leave my dad out there."

"How about if I look? I'm sure you don't want your wound to get all wet."

I shook my head, giving up. "Fine. Go look for him. Please do your best to find him."

"I will," he said, nodding. "And as I search for your father, you will be sleeping in your hotel room. Do we have a deal?"

"Hmm, I sleep and you search?"

He waited for me to answer and I shrugged.

"Fine," I said. "Show me my suite."

* * *

I had taken off my pants and shirt, just sleeping in my undies and bra, and enjoying the cool touch of the silk-like blankets touching my bare body. It made me fall into a deep slumber, and that's the first time in a while that's I've dreamt about vampires.

Next Morning

When I woke up, my clothes weren't where I put them - beside the chair in front of me. Instead, they were across from the bed I had slept in, freshly washed and dried. I slowly sit up, letting the blanket fall off my torso and settle on my lap. I look in the mirror that's nailed on the wall in front of me, right beside where my clothes are, and get a look at my hair. It's frizzy, of course, and it looked like I've been through a few rounds with some guy._ If you know what I mean._ I walk almost zombie-like to the bathroom, and there I see a brand new toothbrush with an untouched toothpaste tube. I brush my teeth, wandering around the small hotel room, and looking at all the little things in there. The walls were ancient-looking, and the furniture just as old. But barely touched. Only the beds looked like they're from the 21st century.

I come back to the bathroom and look at my bandaged wound. I bled so much, that you can see the blood trapped in the bandages. I don't dare to unravel the bandages and to look at the gnarly laceration. I spit out the toothpaste and brush my tongue, gagging on it, but then rinsing it all out of my mouth. That's when I see the shower and turn the water on to hot. It felt so good against my skin. I took a nice, hot shower. I slip on my jeans afterwards, and notice that my shirt is different. It's a plain white t-shirt, crisp and clean. I search for a pair of scissors, and cut of the arms off. I like cut-off shirts. My boots are still filthy, so I leave them by the door.

I head out of my suite, looking around for someone, anyone. Especially Jonah. I need to find him. Instead, I find Drake. He looks at what I've done to the white t-shirt and eyes it oddly. "What have you done to it?" he asks, touching the shirt's cut-off sleeves.

"I cut the sleeves off," I say ever-so-quickly. "But, anyways. Where's Jonah?"

"Why do you ask for Jonah? I know he is good with the ladies, but _wowza! _This was unexpected!"

"No, _no. _It's nothing like that! He said he would go out to try to find my dad. I could've gone, but it was pouring outside and he didn't want me to get my wound wet. I guess with all the moisture and bacteria around..."

"Ah, yes! He did say something about a - -" he tapped his chin, thinking hard. He shoved his hand into the pocket of his clean, black pants and pulled out a neatly folded note. He handed it to me. "This is for you. From Jonah." I take it, unfold it, and when I look up, he's already a good distance away from me, walking up to the counter where a woman with blonde hair is at. I read the note, it says:

_I'm sorry. I had no luck last night. I should've told you, but when I tried contacting you, a maid went into your suite, collected your clothes and told me that you were deeply asleep. You're probably out looking for me, and that's why you're reading this. I've gone to my job. I will be back by sundown. _

_~Jonah _

I tuck the note in the back pocket of my jeans and head outside, then Drake stops me by the arm.

"Where are you going?" he asks.

"To go find my dad."

"Will you be back?"

"Well, Drake. With your permission."

He looks into my eyes, squints, then nods. "You have my permission. May I get your name?"

"Elora," I say to him. "My name's Elora."


	3. Chapter 3

**Please review! I would like to know how I'm doing! :D**

Dusk fell upon us. I had searched all through the woods, but yet, I couldn't find my father. Our camp site was still there, but my father wasn't. I had called out his name so much in the past few hours, that I had gone hoarse. I didn't spend all that time screaming. I spent half of it searching, then the other half calling out to him. But I couldn't find him.

When I went back to Hotel Transylvania, I knew it was well past 9 p.m. and I had been gone for too long. I saw Jonah, writing something down on a piece of paper. I hurried back to my suite and grabbed my cell phone. _Why didn't I think of this before!? _I thought to myself. I speed-dialed my dad's number and put the phone to my ear. No one answered. I tried again. Still, nothing. I looked at my phone, and saw that I had no service. I was at the brink of throwing stuff around. Instead, I screamed, threw a pillow across the room, put it back on the bed very quickly, and hurried down to the lobby. Jonah was still there, this time with his back against the wall and his arms crossed over his chest. When his eyes met mine, he dashed towards me.

"Hey," he said nonchalantly. "Any luck?"

I shook my head. "I'm freaking out. This has never happened before. We've been through these woods a dozen times and it feels like I don't even know this place." I shook my head again, "Maybe he's back home. Or maybe he's not."

"Would you like me to give you a ride to your house to see if he's there?"

My eyes dart to his and I squint. "You'd do that?"

"Sure, why not? There's nothing else to do at 11:35 p.m. on a Saturday night."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, God. Thank you, Jonah."

He nods, digs into the pocket of his black leather jacket and pulls out a wad of keys, then wiggles them in the air. "You wanna go now or later?"

"Now, if that's okay."

"Alright, get whatever you need, because the ride back to town will be at least two hours."

I tell him to give me a second while I get some of my things from my hotel room and he happily goes. I jog up to my suite and grab my gun, leaving my flashlight beside my bed. I tuck the gun in my now clean boot and get going. I hop in Jonah's two-seater pick-up truck, that's completely, shiny and black as his hair. The car looks new. But it isn't. The inside of the car smells like marijuana, pizza and potato chips.

"Sorry about the smell," he says, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "There's nothing else to do sometimes, so I just chill in Everett."

"Everett?" I ask.

Jonah pats the dashboard. "Everett's the name of my truck."

"Ah, nice."

He starts the car, and puts the AC on high. Even though it's in the middle of fall. I had goosebumps all through the ride, until Jonah noticed and turned it down a notch. He apologized, said that he likes the cold. I shrug it off, say it's okay, and see the track jam in the highway. I sigh, not knowing what to say. I don't bother to start a conversation. I mean, why bother making a friend if I will never see him again right after I find Dad? He lives in Hotel Transylvania with his uncle Drake, and I live two hours away. Plus, he's still a stranger. A stranger who fixed up my arm. I pushed the seat back, got comfortable and took a nap.

Until Jonah woke me up. He shook me, and I jumped in my sleep. He had parked in front of McDonald's, and there was food on the dashboard, by my feet and on his lap. I looked at him, giving him a questioning look.

"You bought food?" I asked, reaching for a milkshake.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I ordered a number 3, a dulce de leche shake, two Cokes and something else for me." Jonah checked his watch, said, "Well, let's dig in!" and we started eating. I slurped on my milkshake too fast, and I got a brain freeze. Jonah laughed, and we got back to eating. I checked the time on my cell phone. It was 2:13 a.m. I ate faster, and put my trash in the big McDonald's bag. Afterwards, I told him where I lived, and we got to my house in less than half an hour. I hurried out, found the key that Dad always puts under the front door mat, and rushed inside of my house. I called out to my dad, checked every room. Nothing was touched. Nothing. Until I went into his bedroom one more time and saw something unrecognizable on his dresser top. A ring. It wasn't a ring I have seen before. It looks old. _Really _old. It looked like one of those class rings you get, but the gold was scratched, and the jewel was as dark as Jonah's hair. Even he noticed the ring, and eyed it closely. I grabbed it, and examined the odd ring.

"You look like you've seen it before," I thought out loud.

"Me?" he asked, shaking his head. "Nah. No. I've never seen that ring in my life."

I went to my bedroom, grabbed a necklace, slipped the ring through the chain and put it around my neck. Jonah examined my room, smirked and shook his head. I opened my mouth to say something, but took it back. I looked around my bedroom and packed some more clothes. Anything I need. Once I was done packing, Jonah looked at me with a questioning look.

"Just in case I have to stay at Hotel Transylvania for a few more days," I said. "Oh, and - -" I grabbed a wad of cash and stuffed it in my backpack. " - - cash. For the suite."

"You won't need to pay," Jonah adds. "My uncle said you can stay as long as you need."

"W-what? Are you serious?"

"He said you can stay there to look for your father. No charge."

I feel the urge to hug him, to thank him, but I hold myself back. I can't just _hug _him! For Pete's sake. I barely know him! I smile instead, and say, "Thank you," then make my way downstairs. Nothing was touched, Dad was never here. But that ring . . . I've never seen it before. It's uncanny, for someone to break into my house, leave a ring in my dad's room, and leave without taking anything. Maybe, just maybe, Dad was here. He would've let me know, would've left me a note or some sort of sign to let me know he's been home. But I didn't see his car in the driveway. I'm thinking about calling the police, but I get second thoughts. _Maybe he's looking for me, trying to call me, but since he has no service in the woods, I can't receive the calls. And vise versa, _I think to myself.

We spend an hour at my house, looking through things, trying to find a sign that Dad's been here. But, like all the other times, I found nothing. Then, Jonah checked his watch, and freaked out. He grabbed me by my arm, said, "Let's go. Now," and trotted to his pickup truck. He turned on the car and I shoved the house key in my pocket as I closed the door behind me. I got in, and without even closing the door, Jonah started backing up. It startled me, and I shut the door quickly.

"Geez, Jonah! What the hell!?" I exclaim. He doesn't answer. He just drives and doesn't stop unless it's a red light or anything like that. On the highway, he speeds up, and I clutch at my seat belt. "J-Jonah. Please, slow down." It's like he heard me wrong, because he did the complete opposite. He sped up. I unwillingly grabbed Jonah's wrist, hard, and looked at him. "Slow down, Jonah." He wouldn't look at me. "Jonah! There's no rush! We have two hours until we reach Hotel Transylvania. It's okay!"

"NO IT'S NOT!" he exclaims, almost screaming. It catches me by surprise and I let go of him quickly. "It's not okay!"

I try to collect my thoughts, and when I do, I say, "W-why not? It's not like anyone is going to wait for us, right?"

He clenches his jaw, I can see it when the light posts shine on his face when we drive by them. "I can't," he mutters.

"Can't _what?_"

"I can't tell you."

"About what? About why you're acting like you're in a race from Fast and the Furious? Just _slow _down! We're gonna get pulled over!" As if on cue, I see blue and red lights flashing behind us. I turn around, to look at the police car, then sit forward, giving Jonah an I-told-you-so look. "See? I told you."

Jonah bites his lips, clutches the steering wheel and hesitantly parks to the side of the road. He taps the steering wheel, shutting his eyes tight, as if thinking about something. Then, the cop taps on the driver's window, and Jonah rolls it down. "Problem, officer?" Jonah says.

"You were going at 135 miles per hour," the officer said. "May I see your license?"

As Jonah is reaching for his wallet, he stops, blinks a few times, looks at me, then turns in his seat to look at the officer. "You won't need to see my license. You'll just go back to your car, have some donuts and coffee, and leave me be."

The officer doesn't blink until a few seconds later, looks at Jonah blankly, and nods his head. "Have a night night, you two," he says and heads back to his car. He gets in, and drives away. My mouth gapes open when Jonah looks at me.

"What . . . was that?" I asked. "Did you just - -" before I can say anything else, he starts driving again. And speeds up. "JONAH, SLOW DOWN, DAMMIT!"

He grabs my neck uncomfortably, then my vision goes black.

* * *

**Please review! I would like to know how I'm doing! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNING: After Sunday, I will most likely post more chapters on the weekends. Weekdays=school. Except for Friday**

**Enjoy & Review!**

I wake up when Jonah hit a rough bump, and the speed he was going at wasn't slow. It was exactly as how it was at the highway. The sun was rising. He had his eyes on it, and at the road, back and forth, back and forth, cussing under his breath.

"What's your problem, Jonah?!" I exclaim. "Why did you knock me out?"

"I can't explain it!" He stepped on the gas pedal and drove faster. He looked at the sun. "DAMMIT!" It was now almost completely out, and the light was skimming across the dashboard, and Jonah did a sharp turn, avoiding the light. I was putting two and two together. But shook that thought away. He parked behind Hotel Transylvania and ran to the backdoor, opening it and leaving me outside. I came in the backdoor, slinging my backpack over my shoulders. I entered the hotel and look at Jonah, who was at the front desk near his uncle, with his head down on the desk and his hands balled up against the desk top. Drake looked at me, then at Jonah and said something. I took one last look at Jonah before hurrying to my room.

I threw my backpack beside the door and collapsed on my bed. _He's afraid of the sun, _I thought in my head. _He somehow compelled that cop. His skin's as white as snow. _I shake my head. "Wow, Elora," I said to myself. "What have you been smoking?" It's probably from that intoxicating marijuana smell in Jonah's truck.

Sleep wouldn't come to me. I couldn't shut my eyes and feel tired. Insomnia kept me awake for the little minutes left of sunlight, but I knew I would be tired in a few hours because of what happened. Or maybe not.

I looked out of my suite window and saw the dark, eerie forest being illuminated by the sunlight. I wondered if Jonah would be able to look out of his window in the mornings, or would he . . . I mentally slapped myself. _Jonah isn't a vampire. Can't be a vampire. They don't exist! _I convinced myself it's some sort of skin condition, that he can't be under the sun for too long, or else he'll break out in hives or something. There're skin conditions like that, somewhere out there. I hoped my theory about Jonah was correct.

A knock on the door startled me. I opened the door to see it was Jonah.

"I owe you an explanation," he says, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Only then did I realize I was holding my breath. I let it out. "Yes, you do," I added.

"May I come in?"

My eyes scanned him from the roots of his black hair to the tips of his boot-covered toes. "Yes, come in."

Jonah sat down on my bed and I sat across from him, criss-cross-applesauce style. "Tell me," I started. "Why the hell were you acting like that?"

"Don't freak out, okay? Don't. Freak. Out," He said slowly.

"S-sure."

He looked deeply into my eyes, and at first, it was awkward, then he cleared his throat. "We come two different worlds, and -"

"You're an alien," I said quickly.

Jonah cracked a smile, and shook his head. "Nice try, but no. I can't make you understand this, but my uncle said this is the best thing to do before you think I'm some sort of psycho. I hate the sun. I can't stand silver. I'm not christian and crosses terrify me."

"You have quite the phobia, Jonah." I say this with a straight face, because I'm adding it all together.

"I hate garlic and holy water."

I start to get uncross my legs, ready to get up. " . . . Jonah."

He lets out a puff of air through his nose and smirks weakly. "You already know."

"Please tell me you're joking."

"I really wish I was, Elora."

I look at him with beady eyes. "How'd you know my name?"

He taps his ears with his index fingers. "Super hearing. I was standing outside of your room and heard you talk to yourself."

"How do I know that's not a lie? I told your uncle my name, and he could've told you."

Jonah shakes his head. "Not at all. You want the truth? Here it is . . . I'm a vampire."

My lips part, no words come out, and my mind is blank. I don't know what to say, or how to react. I've seen vampires in movies. How they bite into people's necks and drink their blood. Sure, I've seen Twilight, but I don't think Jonah will be sparkling any time soon. Not if he was that afraid of being touched by sunlight. But I've seen what they can do. In the movies, I mean. I have no clue what their capabilities are now that I know they're real. Especially when there's one right in front of me.

"And Drake? Is he . . ." I start, but stopping.

Jonah nods. "My uncle's a vampire. And his name isn't Drake. He lied so you wouldn't know his real identity. His real name is Dracula."

I clutch my stomach, feeling queasy. "Dracula? As in . . . the all-mighty, legendary Dracula?"

"That's him."

He looks at me, notices that my face has gone as white as his and I feel light-headed. "Prove it," I say. _Prove it? _I ask myself. _Are you out of your mind, woman!? _

"Prove it? How?"

"Uh, I don't know! You're the vampire!" When that sentence escapes my lips, I get goosebumps all over and take a few steps back. "G-go ahead. Show me."

He rubs the back of his neck, staring at the floor, as if thinking. Before I could even blink, he turns into a bat. I stumble backwards and hit the wall hard with my back. I see him flying all around the ceiling, landing on my bed and turning back to a human. Er, I mean a vampire.

"You're a vampire . . ." I mutter.

Jonah stand up and starts walking towards me. I clasp my hands over my neck.

"Please don't."

Offended, he takes a step back. "Is that what you think I am? A monster? I'll have you know I've _never _drank any blood. I've never attacked any humans. You know why? It's called self control. I have that, Elora. This is why I don't want anyone to know. They'll think I'm a fucking monster who's gonna drink them dry!"

He's furious, I can tell because his eyes turn from blue to red. I see his fangs.

"Jonah . . " I say slowly, taking my hands away from my neck. He notices when I take my hands away, but keeps his distance. "Can you - - please leave. I'm - - I don't know how to process this."

He nods, then his eyes travel from my eyes to my chest. I slap my hand over my chest. "HEY!" I exclaim. He extends an arm, pries my hand away and fingers the old ring on my necklace.

"I'm going to need that," he says. Before I have anything to say, he turns around leaves, gently closing the door behind him.

Vampires exist. Everything I thought about vampires was a lie. Wait - - if vampires are real, then what about monsters, or ghouls, how about ghosts? Are they all real?

* * *

I don't exit my suite the whole day, and when I come out of it the next morning, I don't do my best to avoid Jonah and Drake . . . I mean Dracula. I run into Dracula on accident, and I bite back a scream. He has an unusual grin on his face, one that won't leave. It looks painful, the way he's smiling.

"Oh, Elora!" Dracula says, grabbing my arms and dancing in a circle. "I'm sooo happy!"

I carefully pry myself away and raise an eyebrow. "Uh . . . why?"

"My baby girl's coming back!"

Before I can say anything, Dracula literally dances away, twirling and flailing his arms all over the place like a ballerina. I keep on trying to search for my dad, but like the other days, I found nothing. Absolutely nothing. No clues, no nothing. At the end of the day, I entered my room like a zombie, I dropped my backpack down, put my gun in a drawer next to my bed and collapsed on a couch. I tried turning on the television, but I couldn't find the remote. I checked the time on my cell phone and saw it was 8:54 p.m. I decided to get some shut-eye.

Until I woke up three hours later to the sound of a bat. I thought it was Jonah. I turned on the lights of my suite, and looked around. The bat flew right in front of my face and I screamed, and then, another one. Yet another one flew, but that one was smaller. One of them must've hit the light switch because the lights went out. I screamed again. I heard a _poof _sound and then three thuds on the floor. I tried to find the light switch, and when I did, I looked around. Absolutely no one. That's when I turned around and was scared half to death. There was a woman with pale skin, bright blue eyes and dark, shoulder-length hair. The man standing next to her was at least a foot taller than her with just-as-pale skin and light-brown, tousled hair with matching brown eyes. Beside him was a little girl, who was wearing a dark-blue dress, her short, brown hair was up in pig-tails and her eyes were as big and blue as her mother's.

"Whoa! Dad gave away my room?" The dark-haired woman said, looking around. "Didn't change anything. What do you think, Johnny?" She turned to the man, who looked at her lovingly.

"It looks the same. We haven't been here for a century, so I'm not sure," he answered.

"Uh, hi," I choked. "Who . . . are you?"

The woman walked towards me, smelled my hair, touched my neck and walked back to the man named Johnny. "She's human," she said to him. "Definitely human."

"Yeah, and you three are vampires," I stated slowly.

"And . . . you aren't afraid?" Johnny asked.

"N-no. I found out two days ago that some guy here is a vampire. Along with his uncle who's Dracula. I _was _afraid. But - -" I shook my head, noticing that I was rambling. "Who are you?" I gestured towards the woman.

"Oh," she said with a friendly smile. "I'm Mavis! Dracula's daughter."


	5. Chapter 5

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I saw Dracula reunite with his daughter, his son-in-law and his granddaughter. I left them alone, and as I was making my way down the dim-lit hall to my suite, I ran into someone. That person was holding a flashlight. His hand traced the wall, flipped a switch, and I saw that it was Jonah. We didn't say anything to each other, we just eyed one another for a moment, then I broke the eye contact.

"Your cousin's back. With her husband and their daughter," I said.

"I know. She flew by my room before going to her dad to say hi."

"Oh. Okay." I turned to shove my key in the door, but Jonah stopped me by grabbing my hand.

"You should move your stuff from their," he said. "I just heard Dracula say that she'll have her old room back." Jonah tapped his ears. "Super hearing."

"So . . . where am I supposed to sleep at?"

He told me to follow him, and I did. Jonah led me to the front desk, and he typed in something into the computer, then started flipping pages in an old, big sign-in book. Jonah's eyebrows scrunched up and he shook his head. "There are literally no more rooms left."

"What do you mean, 'no more rooms left'? I barely see anyone come out of their suite. The only people I see is you and your uncle."

"You already know I'm a vampire . . . but I should've told you. This hotel is for monsters. Most of them have a phobia for humans, they think that the humans will come and kill us."

"So - - every room in this hotel is taken?"

Jonah nods.

I shove my hands in my face. "SHIT! Where am I supposed to sleep? Back at the camp?"

He looks at me, opens his mouth to say something, and then shakes his head, shutting himself up.

"What?" I asked. "You were gonna say something. Tell me."

"I was gonna say . . . if you would like to sleep in my suite until you find your dad."

"You're - - letting my stay in your suite with you?"

"If you would like to. Don't worry, I'm no perv, I won't try anything."

I scan his face, and nod. "T-thanks." And then I remember that he's a vampire. My stomach churns and I feel queasy again. "When should I get my stuff to your room?"

"Just to be safe . . . I'd say now."

* * *

Jonah had carried my backpack to his suite, one of the suites on the top floor, and I carried the extra clothes I forgot to stuff in my backpack. He put my things beside his bed, and I put my clothes in a different, empty drawer. After I got settled, Jonah gestured towards the couch.

"I would let you sleep on this, but it's _really _uncomfortable," he added. "You can, if you want to. But I wouldn't recommend it unless you want a sore neck in the morning." He checked his watch and looked at me. "It's close to midnight. If you want to sleep, make yourself comfortable on the couch or the bed. Your choice." Jonah began walking to his window, he opened it up and stuck a foot out.

"Where are you going?" I asked him.

He looked over his shoulder at me. "I'm going to the roof."

"The - - roof?"

"Yeah, you wanna come?"

The roof. For all I know he could be planning to push me off it so he doesn't have to deal with me. If he wanted to kill me he would've done it sooner. Or bitten me. Or something. Or maybe not. Maybe he's just inviting me up there just because there's nothing else better to do at twelve o'clock at night when you're being flooded with insomnia and bored to death. Maybe I can see my dad from up there. We _are _pretty high up from the forest. Maybe Dad's wandering around, trying to find me, too.

"Sure," I answered. "I'll come."

He extended a hand and I looked at it for a while, biting the inside of my cheek, then firmly took it. Jonah pulled me in carefully and curled his arm around me. I started pulling away, but his grip was as firm as mine.

"Don't worry," he said softly. I knew he felt my heart racing. I was panicking. "I'm just making sure you don't fall." He curls his arm around me once more, but this time a bit slower, making sure I give him permission. And when I do, he says, "Hold on to me," and I let out a breath. I wrap my arms around his neck, and I feel his other arm grabbing the back of my legs. He scooped me up, as if I was a feather, and stepped out of his window. We were standing on the window sill. Jonah bent his knees, and leaped into the air. I screamed at first, then stopped when I felt him holding me tighter. He leaped once more, landing on the apex of the roof. Jonah put me down slowly, and he sat next to me. The tilt on this roof is uncomfortable and frightening. I feel like if I lean forward a bit, I will start rolling off the roof and falling to my death.

Then I hear a lighter.

Jonah had lit a blunt, and was now putting it to his lips. He let out a puff of smoke, then handed it to me. "It's okay, it won't give you lung cancer," he added with a smile. "It just clears your mind. You'll feel calm and mellow." With a sigh, I take it, and put it to my lips. The taste of it is odd, I've never tried this before, and I exhale the smoke as I give the blunt back to Jonah. He eyes me as he puts the blunt to his lips and inhales through his mouth. "You're not afraid?" he asks.

"Afraid of what?" I ask back.

"Of . . . me."

I shake my head. "I should be, though. But, I'm not. I've been around the whole vampires-exist thing for quite a while. I didn't believe in it, though."

"Not until a few days ago."

I nod. "What happens when the sun touches you?"

"I don't sparkle, that's for sure."

We both have a good laugh from that, imagining him coming out of Hotel Transylvania, being hit with sunlight, and then he starts sparkling as if a container of glitter was poured over him.

"I burn," he says. "I burn until I turn to ashes."

"How about silver? Holy water? Crosses?"

"If there's silver in me, like . . . if I get stabbed or shot with something silver, I'll get slowed down and I'll be in serious pain. Holy water's like the sun. If I touch it, it burns me. About crosses . . . I don't know. Us vampires, we aren't creations of God. Therefore, crosses hurt us. I haven't been in any of those situations before, but my uncle has. He's one _old _vampire. _The _oldest."

"Remind me not to get him mad," I say.

"Oh, you won't be reminded. I'm sure that little fact about him being a vampire is frightening enough."

". . . Just a bit."

I scooch myself down the roof a bit, and lie down. Jonah does the same. "How do you do it?" I ask. "How do you _not _drink blood."

"Well . . . blood is what powers us. Like fuel. But, it's like a switch. If we don't have it in our system, our super-human abilities are weaker or won't be there at all. I'm lucky enough that I have my abilities as weak as they are than not have them at all."

"Is it true that you haven't had blood before?"

Jonah looks at me, then shakes his head. "That's a lie." When he sees my eyes widening, he sits up hurriedly. "I've only had it _once. _That's it! I swear."

"When was it?"

"I was sixty-two, which is, like, fourteen years old, I was attacked by a vampire hunter and he cut my stomach open real bad when he tried to catch me. I - - I killed him. It was a quick death. I drank from him until my wound healed. Which wasn't long." He looked at me, and my lips were parted, my jaw threatening to drop.

I gulped. "You - -"

"I only did it because I didn't want to die. I had to do that, Elora."

"Yeah." I look at him, straight in his gorgeous blue eyes. "I'm still not afraid of you."

Jonah cracked a smile. "Good." He flicked the leftover stub of his blunt onto the roof, and it rolled off, hitting the ground. "Because I don't want you to be."

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	6. Chapter 6

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Jonah said something about finding my dad's belongings by a river. I went with him before the sun went up, and we were a bit too late, because as soon as I had seen the evidence - my dad's shirt - the sun had risen. Jonah pushed himself back on a tree and I wondered how he could go back inside the hotel without getting burned. I stepped closer to him and grabbed his hand, then stretched his arm out, making his hand touch the sun light. His skin sizzled, and Jonah flinched, pulling his hand back.

"Are you crazy?" he asked.

"I wanted to see something."

"What? Me burning?" He looked at his hand, and I saw him heal quickly. I could tell he was staring at me now, but I was staring at his hand. _Being a vampire, _I thought to myself. _Wouldn't be that bad, would it? _"Yes, it is," he adds, and I give him a puzzled look. Then I figure it out.

"You read my mind," I said.

"Just that one time. Something as simple as mind reading weakens my abilities. I won't be reading minds any time soon."

I shook my head. "How are you getting back inside the hotel?"

Jonah pulled me to him, scooped me up and took off, running faster than I could blink. He turned, and hit the door with his back, throwing us into Hotel Transylvania. We roll onto the carpeted floor, and once we stop rolling, I land on top of him, and he's breathless under me. I'm tempted to kiss, I don't know why. Maybe because of the fact that vampires are master seducers, or lust or something, but something took over me. He wanted to, I can tell. But then a pair of feet stood in front of me. We both looked up, and I saw Dracula, with his hands on his hips and his eyebrows were scrunched-up.

"Where have you two been?" Dracula asked.

I roll off of Jonah and we get to our feet. "Looking for my dad," I say. "We found his shirt outside and - "

"Did Jonah get burned?"

Jonah looked at me, then at his uncle and shook his head. "No. I didn't get burned. We ran."

Dracula looks at me, straightens his posture and blinks. "I heard from a little bat that you have the ring?"

"The ring?" I ask, looking at Jonah. "It's only a ring."

Jonah shakes his head at Dracula, making him shut up, and takes my wrist and we head his suite. We don't take the elevator, we take the stairs, and we start a short conversation. About the ring, mostly. I asked him why he told Dracula about the ring, that it isn't a big thing, so why bother make it seem like a big deal. He wouldn't answer. When we got to his suite, he made me sit down on his bed and he grabbed my shoulders.

"I can help you look for your father if I had the ring," he said.

"Why do you need it?" I asked.

Jonah looks at me and takes his hands off of my shoulders. "You've seen the _Vampire Diaries, _right?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"You know how Stefan and Damon have those rings that keep them from burning in the sun? Yeah, well, the ring you found in your house, that's one of two rings in the world. How your dad found it, I don't know. But I need it so I can go into the sun without burning."

I look at him for a second. That's crazy, a ring stopping a vampire from burning in the sun. But I didn't question anything else, because there's nothing crazier than speaking to a vampire. The nephew of the legendary Count Dracula.

"It's in the first drawer," I said quickly. "Inside a little wooden box."

He turns towards my drawers, seeking the golden, scratched-up ring with the black jewel on it. He found the ring. And he slipped it on his finger. A black pulse of light surged through his arm twice, then disappeared.

"Did it work?" I asked.

Jonah looked at his hand, then at me. "I don't know. There's only one way to find out." He walked to his window, grabbed the handles and pushed it open. The sunlight raced into his bedroom, and danced along his skin, but he wasn't burning. I got up and hurried to his side, look at his face and he was looking at his arms. He had a grin on his face, and I swear I saw his eyes sparkle.

"I'm not burning!" He said with a joyful tone in his voice. He looked like he had just won the lottery. "So . . ." Jonah states, looking at me with a massive grin on his face. "Let's go find your dad."

* * *

Jonah and I looked all over for my father, but still, like the last five days, we had found nothing. We were being slowed down by Jonah, because he was just standing there, in the open stretch of grass and trees, taking in the sun. I had to grab his hands and pull him in the direction that we were supposed to go. Ironically, Jonah hates the shade now. It was too hot for me, so I sat under a tree with a nice, cool shade to drink some water. Jonah literally threw himself at the ground, laid on his back and let the sun sink into his skin.

"You're gonna get a sun burn!" I called to him, as I took a sip of my water from a water bottle. Jonah shifted and turned his head, looking at me with big, blue eyes. I almost choked on my water. Sweet Moses, Jonah could be the male version of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. I don't know how vampires can look so . . . _gorgeous. _Is it a vampire thing? Is there one _ugly _vampire? Do all vampires look this good?

"I don't know," Jonah says.

"What?" I screw the top back on my water bottle and then it hits me. "You little scoundrel! Don't read my mind!"

He rolls over and sits up, facing me. "Well, I'm not sure if all vampires are 'as good looking as me'. But thanks for the compliment." He starts smiling, seeing my cheeks turn red. "What are you? Hispanic? White?"

"Half and half. My dad's American and my mom's Puerto Rican."

"And - - your hair?" He touches it, playing with my tousled curls. "It's dyed, right?" He's talking about the fact that my hair is dark brown, and the tips are blonde.

"Yep. I dyed it dark brown and bleach the ends."

"Well . . . I like it."

I smile. "Thanks."

My phone starts vibrating and I answer it. "Hello?"

"Elora?" the caller says.

"M-mom? Hi, Mom."

"Your father's here. He asked me if I knew where you were."

"He's there? What the hell? How?" I ask that because she lives in Tivoli, an ancient Italian town in Lazio, about 30 km east-north-east of Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river where it issues from the Sabine hills. And right now, we're in Rome, Italy. "How did he get there?"

"He won't tell me how. He just asked if you had called."

"I called his cell but he wouldn't answer."

It was silent at the other end for a minute, and when I was about to say something, Mom's voice was replaced.

"Lora, baby?"

"DAD!" I exclaimed, my stomach doing flips. "You're okay! Dad, what happened? How'd you get to Tivoli?"

"Aw, is little Elora looking for her daddy?" The caller's voice was different now. It wasn't my father's voice, nor my mother's. It was another man's voice.

"Who are you?" I ask, looking at Jonah, who has a worried look on his face. He inches closer to me and puts his ear near my phone to hear better.

"I'm sure Jonah knows, sweety."

"Where are my parents?"

"Oh, don't worry. I won't harm them, as long as you cooperate with me."

"Who the hell are you? Let them go!"

Jonah snatched the phone from my hand and put it on speaker. "What the _fuck _is your problem, Solomon?" he asked.

"I don't have a problem, I have a request," Solomon adds with a relaxed voice.

"What do you want?"

"It's simple." We heard him chuckle. "I want the ring."

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	7. Chapter 7

When we didn't say anything, he kept on talking, trying to make us talk. "Oh, come on now. I'm not stupid, Jonah. I _know _things. A lot of things. Things that you think I didn't know. I'm the head spy of our kind. Your uncle might be the oldest and strongest, but I have my spies. For all you know, they could be watching you. Right. Now."

Jonah looked around and then looked at me phone. "You're lying. If there were any spies here, I would've heard them by now."

"Ah, yes. Dracula's nephew has abilities only some of us can imagine."

"Why do you want the ring?" I asked the man through the phone.

"I want both of them. I _know _you have one of them, Elora."

"How?"

"My spies. I've known about you ever since you were born. Oh! And your father. The infamous vampire hunter! Am I wrong?"

There's silent on both ends. And Jonah's eyes are meeting mine. "Your father . . . is a vampire hunter?" Jonah asked.

"Gasp!" Solomon exclaims, followed by a fake gasp. "You didn't tell Jonah?"

"No," Jonah says. "She didn't."

"You two have a _lot _to talk about, then!"

"Stop enjoying this," I said to Solomon. "What do you want with the rings?"

"Oh," Solomon says as if he doesn't know what we're talking about. "That's for me to know and for you to find out. But, for now, I have a mission for you."

"A mission?" Jonah asked.

"Bring me the two rings. You three weeks to bring them to me."

"And if we don't?" I asked Solomon.

"If you _don't, _I'll kill your parents. How does that sound?"

I almost passed out. "Where can I find the other ring?"

"Well, _you _tell _me. _I just want the rings. If you want your parents _alive, _I suggest you find my rings." Solomon hung up, and I was shaking. Jonah handed me my phone and I could barely hold it. I shoved it in my shirt and Jonah helped me up.

"He has my parents," I murmured. "He has my parents."

"We'll get the rings, Elora."

"Wait . . . why can't your uncle just attack Solomon and free my parents?"

"It's not that simple. Solomon will most likely kill your parents if he finds out that we're trying to take him down along with his team and to free your parents. He _will _kill them."

"So, what now?" I asked. "I can't just sit down and search on Google where to find an ancient ring that stops vampires from burning in the sun!"

Jonah looks at me with an eyebrow raised. "I think you just answered your own question."

* * *

We headed inside of Hotel Transylvania, and we took over the front desk computer, and quickly got onto Google. I searched for: _antique vampire sun ring. _At first, nothing came up. So, I took away the _sun _part. It took a while, but I found that there was an auction going on in the United States of America, in the state of Georgia. There, a massive auction for antique things is being held in a small town. Kingsland, Georgia. Luckily, we found pictures of the types of things there would be able to bid for at the auction, and we scrolled through the pictures. I thought the ring wasn't going to be there, that we would have to start from square one again. But fortunately, I noticed a picture of a golden ring. One that wasn't scratched, and was thinner than the one Jonah has on his finger, but has the same black jewel on it. Shortly, we got into Everett, Jonah's black pickup truck, and drove to the nearest mall. There, we - or I should say _he _- bought extra clothes for the both of us. We didn't know how hot or cold Georgia would be, so Jonah bought two long-sleeved shirts for me, two pairs of skinny jeans and a pair of shoes for me. He bought more clothes for himself, and I pointed out a white Burton Truckstop beanie. Jonah had looked at me as if I was crazy and I made him try it on. He looked like a hipster. His straight, black hair was perfect with the beanie. I bought it for him.

Afterwards, we left the mall, and Jonah used my cell phone to call Dracula. He told his uncle everything. How Solomon found out about the rings and that I have one of them. About how Solomon wants the rings or he'll kill my parents. He told Dracula everything. I could hear his uncle yelling through the phone. Not at Jonah, but at Solomon. He was cussing, I could tell that much. Then, Jonah handed the phone to me. I put it to my ear.

"Elora," Dracula said. "You don't have to do this. I can go and get the ring myself."

"It's too late. We're on our way to the airport."

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"No, I don't. But maybe Jonah will tell me. I just want my parents back."

I heard him sigh from the other end. "Please check in every day. Solomon is a dangerous vampire. I would take him myself but they will try to kill me, and I'm sure he will hurt your parents if I try."

"I know. Jonah told me."

"If you need anything, I will be here. I have connections."

"Thank you, Dracula." _Dracula, _I thought to myself. _I never thought I would say that. Especially me. For God's sake, I'm a vampire hunter's daughter! And I'm befriending vampires. _

He ended the call, and I banged the back of my head on the headrest of the passenger's seat and let out a sigh. "Why can't I have a _normal _life?" I asked. "I mean, it would be nice to just come home to my parents without seeing a single damn stake on the dinner table because my dad's sharpening them. Or bottles of holy water in every freakin' corner I turn to. I just want to go home and see my parents watching movies and maybe even a dog! Yes! A dog! _Normal _people things."

"Sometimes," Jonah starts. "Sometimes . . . being _normal _is boring. Things happen for a reason, Elora."

"If they die . . ."

"They won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because I'll be here. That damn Solomon has been on our asses for years! Talking about the rings. And I didn't think I would actually see one in real life. But, _look. _I'm wearing it. He wants the rings."

"Why?" I asked.

Jonah clutched his steering wheel hard, and stepped on the break pedal hard when a red light came. "He'll take the two rings and with the power inside of the jewels. . ." he stopped talking, and rubbed his eyes.

"And?" I asked.

"He'll kill Dracula."


	8. Chapter 8

Jonah had stopped for the night. We were parked on the side of the road, not a very bright idea, and I was sleeping for a bit, until the roar of a truck woke me up and I couldn't fall asleep. When I looked over to the driver's seat, Jonah wasn't there. I was about to panic. But then I turned around in my seat and saw him lying down on the back of his truck, looking up at the sky. I opened the door to step out, and then chilly air ran up my legs and gave my goosebumps all over my arms. I dug around in my backpack and found a throw blanket. I put it around my shoulders and exited the car. I stood there, by the back of the truck, looking at Jonah. For a second, I forgot he was a vampire. He turned his head towards me and I jumped.

"You should go to sleep," Jonah says. I could barely hear him, though, because of all the cars whizzing by.

"I can't sleep now."

"Well, do you want to come watch the stars with me or do you want to go back inside and try to get some sleep?"

I looked from Jonah to the passenger's seat, and I answered him by climbing over the metal wall and laying down next to him. That's when I saw blankets under and on top of Jonah. Even though I have a blanket, Jonah pulls some of his over me and I scooch a bit closer to him. But not too close. I know my distance. Besides, I can't flirt with him, can I? He's a vampire, and I'm a mere human. Our kind don't mix, right? I mean, I wouldn't mind flirting with him, but it's best to keep feelings aside for now. Because what if something happens to one of us along the way?

"You like the stars?" he asked, nudging me with his hand.

"I don't actually look at the stars when I go camping. The only times I've gone camping is to help my dad find vam-" I stop talking. And I can tell Jonah's holding his breath. He's waiting for me to finish my sentence, but he knows what I was going to say. "I don't actually _help. _I only come along because I'm afraid something will happen to him. Up until six days ago, I thought vampires didn't exist at all. That my dad was obsessed with the thought of there actually being vampires. I swear to you I didn't help him do anything."

"It's - - fine. I just didn't expect your father to be a vampire hunter. The last vampire hunter that was searching for my uncle was Van Helsing."

"Wait - - he's real?"

"_Was _real. Dracula killed him."

I gulp and let out the breath I was holding. I feel myself getting comfortable, well, at least from my torso down is comfy. My head feels like it's on a rock. I guess Jonah reads my mind and I feel his arm snaking under my neck and I adjust myself. I notice that I'm really close to him, with my ear resting on the small far side of his chest and my legs hooking through his. _Are we . . . cuddling? _I asked myself in my head.

"Yeah," Jonah answered. "I guess we are."

"Dammit, Jonah! Can you _please _not read my mind?"

"Sorry! The mind-reading thing gets stronger when there's skin contact."

"But you're wearing a long-sleeved - -" and then I see it. Jonah's shirtless. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"I took my shirt off a few minutes ago. It got a bit too hot under these blankets and I didn't feel like taking the blankets off. So I took off my shirt. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh. N-no. I don't mind."

We laid there for a while, looking up at the stars and talking. And then I dozed off, but then I woke up barely a minute later, and found that Jonah was sound asleep. His free hand was placed over his stomach, heaving up and down, following the up-and-down movement of his lungs as he breathed. I saw the ring, the ring that the vampire known as Solomon wants. Along with the other ring that I have no idea if it's actually at some auction in the United States. But I need my parents back. I can't let them die in the hands of the one thing they've been hunting. Yes, _they. _My father wasn't the only one obsessed with vampires. My mother did the research, while my father went out and searched for them. It's pretty ironic, actually. For them to die in the hands of a vampire.

Shit, what would they think about Jonah? Given that he's a vampire and the nephew of Dracula. I shove that thought out of my mind. I can't be thinking about that stuff. Not now. All I can focus on at the moment is finding that ring and getting my parents back. It shouldn't be that hard, should it? Just get the ring, get out, find Solomon's lair, get through the other possible vampire agents, and waltz out with my parent by my side. But what will happen to Jonah afterwards? When my parents find out he's a vampire? I immediately thought of myself telling them Jonah's a vampire, and for them to take out a wooden stake out of no where and stab it in his heart. I got goosebumps all over.

"It won't happen," Jonah mutters, half asleep. "Your parents won't kill me. Solomon won't, either. I won't let anything happen to either one of us."

Yeah, Jonah read my mind, but his words comforted me, it soothed my mind and relaxed me a bit. That night, I didn't sleep at all. Just those few hours of sleep I got before a truck woke me up, that's it. When the sun came up, it raced across Jonah's legs, and when it hit his eyes, he woke up. I must admit, Jonah's pretty warm for a vampire. Maybe it's because we're both sharing my - _or our - _body heat. Does Jonah have body heat? Because, you know, vampires' hearts don't beat like our human hearts do. Do they even have a pulse at all? I can save that question for later on, when Jonah is actually alert. Right now, he's hopped out of his truck - still shirtless - and weaving his way through the woods beside us. I continued to lay flat on my back, until a few cars past, because I don't anyone thinking that we had something going on last night. Which we didn't. We just . . . I guess . . . cuddled? Nothing romantic, nothing sexual.

Before I knew it, Jonah was back by my side, with something in his hand. "A wallet," he said holding it out to me. "I stole it from some hiker. He's still looking for it." He opened it up and took out the money, shoved it in his pocket, and closed it back up. "I'll be back." He walked towards the woods, and when I blinked, he was gone. I stood up, and carefully threw my legs around the side of the truck, and slipped my way down until I touched the ground. I gathered all the blankets, folded them nicely and put them under a plastic cover that Jonah had for his truck just in case it started to rain. As I reach for the handle to open the passenger's seat door, I hear Jonah.

"ELORA!" he screams. "GET IN!" I turn around, having no idea why he's screaming, and then I see a bald-headed man with a read and black plaid shirt, long, dirty pants and sturdy boots running behind Jonah. Oh, and there was a gun in the man's hand. I rushed inside Jonah's truck, turned the keys, and jumped in my seat when I saw Jonah slide across the front of his truck, open the door and slip inside. He stepped on the gas pedal and we were off. The bald-headed man yelled something, and I know Jonah understood, because he was chuckling.

"What did you do?" I asked him.

"He saw me put his wallet back and his dog started barking. I was in a tent where I'd found the wallet and i thought that was his wife or something. Well, it was his daughter, and when I came out of the tent, he saw me. And, you know, I was shirtless, so you could only imagine what he was thinking when he saw me get out of her tent."

I start laughing and shaking my head. "He thought you were sleeping with his daughter?"

"I guess so."

"Must've been _something, _alright."

Jonah patted his pockets with one hand, and then pointed to the glove box. "Elora, check my glove box." And I did. There were two passports. When I opened them up, I saw Jonah's picture, and all his information. And the other one - - that one was mine.

"How'd you - -" I started, but stopped, looking at all my information. It was all legitimately correct.

"I have connections," he added with a smile.

"Where to first?" I asked.

"Hmmm. . . well we have to get the ring first, just to get it over with. So after we get the ring back, we have two weeks to go wherever we want to do _whatever_ we please. How's _that _for a vacation?" Jonah had a smile on his face, I could tell he was excited. He must've never gone out of Rome, Italy. Now he will get the chance to, and I'm thinking that he has a whole plan building up in that head of his.

With a grin, he said, "United States, here we come!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Please Review (:**

This is our second flight, and we're already in the United States, right outside of the Georgia border. When the plane lands, my ears pop repeatedly, and I noticed that Jonah isn't bothered by it, not one bit. We collect our luggage and head towards the Rent-A-Car which is right next to the airport, and we rented a black Volvo and stayed in a motel. There was a pool and a hot tub. And we went into the hot tub as soon as we got there. Nothing serious. We just needed the relaxation for a bit. After the hot tub, we went back inside, and I took a hot shower. I got out, and barged into Jonah changing. He was half naked. _From the waist down. _I'm not going to lie, I _did _look down. I turned around quickly, and felt my cheeks turn red.

"Sh-shit. I'm sorry, Jonah," I stuttered.

"You can turn around now."

"I'm not turning around until you have pants on."

A minute passed, and Jonah said, "Okay. Now you can turn around."

I did, and I was relieved when I saw him with pants. But, of course, he had no shirt on. I put my bikini on a hanger for it to dry and slipped into bed to watch a movie. Turns out, this motel has Netflix. We watched a movie about vampires, and I fell asleep. . . on Jonah. As much as I tell myself to take it easy with Jonah, I find myself wanting to snuggle up to him again. And - surprisingly - he's the one that makes the first move. He extended his arm, looked at me, asking me with his eyes, and I laid down on him, curling up next to his lukewarm body. At one point, I sat up and looked at his hand that had the ring on. I took it off his finger and he sat up quickly, grabbing my hand before I could even pull away.

"I'm not taking it from you," I said calmly. "I just want to look at it." I put the ring on my middle finger, and - of course - it was too big. The black light that pulsed through Jonah's arm when he put it on raced through mine and I panicked, because the ring shrunk on my finger. "SHIT!" I exclaimed, ripping the ring off my finger. It landed beside Jonah and he slipped it onto the middle finger of his right hand. "The hell was that?" I asked.

"The ring is magic," Jonah added. The black light pulsed through his arm and the ring adjusted to the size of his finger. "It adjusts to the beholder's finger."

"Jonah . . .?"

He looks at me with his gorgeous blue eyes.

"How is it like? - - Being a vampire?"

Jonah snorted and shook his head. "It's a curse, Elora."

"How? You can read minds, jump higher than anyone in the world, you have inhuman hearing and you run faster than a cheetah."

"But I live off of blood. It doesn't matter how many energy drinks I take or how much food I eat. Blood is what fuels me. It's what makes me immortal."

I clear my throat. "That's . . . "

"It sucks. I can't even walk in the sun without Calypso's ring."

"Calypso?"

"That's the name of the witch that made the ring I have and the ring I'm after. They're the only things in the world that will let us vampires walk in the sun."

"Have you ever turned someone into a vampire?"

"Hell no! You have no idea how that's like, to carry that burden. To turn someone into a vampire. Why would I want to . . . to _curse _someone?"

"I-I was just wondering. But have you ever come close to?"

Jonah took his eyes off of his ring and looked right at me. "Yeah. I have."

Now _that _surprised me. "When?"

"My parents had adopted a human. She was my sister. At the age of sixteen she was diagnosed with Leukemia. She was at the brink of death a year later. She had asked me if I could turn her into a vampire so she wouldn't die. She didn't want to die."

"But . . . you didn't?"

"I told her I couldn't."

"You must really hate being a vampire."

"I do. I really do. Dying would be better than being a vampire. You can't go to certain restaurants because some dishes might have garlic. And you can't go to church because vampires aren't a creation of God. I'd burn if I stepped a foot inside of a church. And worst of all, people think you're a monster. People will hunt you down, and try to kill you. Being immortal isn't fun. If I wasn't a vampire, sure, it _might _be fun. But other than that, I hate this."

"Like you said in your truck, things happen for a reason. And, I'm sure your sister is in a much better place."

"Oh, she didn't die."

"W-what? How?" I thought that there might have been a miracle and her cancer was gone. Is that even possible?

"_I _didn't turn her. Another vampire did. I searched for the guy who turned her, but never found him."

"I'm . . . I'm sorry, Jonah."

"For what?"

"Bringing this up. It must be hard for you."

He shrugs, as if it's no big deal, but I can see it in his eyes that he misses his sister. "It's fine." He curls up beside me, hiding under the covers. "I'm . . . gonna sleep."

I don't say anything else. I just throw my legs over the side of the bed and head outside. The sun is just setting, hiding behind buildings and disappearing. I left the motel room door unlocked, and just stood outside in my sports bra and shorts, enjoying the refreshing air. As I reached for my cell phone, I swear I saw someone in the corner of my eye. And I did. There was in front of the hotel. All I could tell is that she had blonde hair. She was wearing a red jacket, with the hood flipped over her head. At first, I thought it was a coincidence that she was staring this way. But then I figured it out when she wouldn't move. She was staring directly at me. Not blinking. Not moving. A chill rippled through my spine and spread throughout my body. I looked somewhere else, hoping she would stare in a different direction, but when I looked up. She was gone.

**Please Review (:**


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter... I don't even know. Review!**

Auction day.

It takes place in downtown Kingsland, Georgia. The sun is beating down on us, but the mid-Fall breeze makes up for the heat. There's a massive tent in the parking lot behind the park and there are cars lined up so far, I'm not sure I could even see them all. There are tables in the front, showing some of the items that will be auctioned today. I search for the ring, but can't find it. Jonah and I are the first ones to take our seats. As I look around, I see that the people here are not our age. The majority of the people here are in their mid-forties. There are only a small handful of people that look like they're in their late twenties. We sit there, in our seats, for half an hour or so, until a short man with short, almost balding hair comes up with a microphone. He picks up a handgun.

"This, ladies and gentleman, is a Colt M1911. This Colt M1911 entered US Army in 1911 and would be fielded as the standard-issue sidearm for both the United States Army and Navy from 1911 to 1922. Now, let's get to bidding," he explained. And when he set the first bid, hands flew in the air, and at the end of that, the Colt M1911 went to a forty-something year old woman who had a scar going doing her cheek. Jonah was impatient, I could tell because of his repeated foot-tapping and knuckle-cracking. I gently put a hand on his knee and he looked at me. He's worried about something, I know it. I could see it in his eyes. I gave him a questioning look.

"I'll tell you later," he whispered, barely audible.

The balding man went on with his auction, and as the items were being sold, I was afraid that we've come to the wrong place to find Calypso's second ring. I knew Jonah could see that I was worried, and he took my hand in his soft, cold ones and gave a nice pat. He didn't let go, though.

"Last but not least!" the balding man exclaimed into the microphone. "We have an antique ring that one of our donors have had for quite a while now. Legend says that this ring has magical powers!" He chuckled, eyeing the ring in his palm. "That's something to tell your grand kids, huh?" But he went on with the bidding. "Fifty dollars for the antique ring!"

Jonah raised his hand.

"Seventy-five dollars!"

Another man raised his hand. It went on, until the bid reached five-hundred and twenty dollars. Some hands went down, but that man still raised his hand for that ring, and so did Jonah. I could see the beads of sweat building up on Jonah's forehead. As he raised his hand, he said, "I bid eight-hundred dollars!" The crowd was oohing, knowing that the other man was going to lose. I looked back at the man and he shook his head, giving up.

"This ring goes to the young man with the white beanie for eight-hundred dollars!"

The balding man said a small speech, thanking us for coming out this evening and for helping them raise money for a museum they're planning on opening in Florida. Blah-blah-blah. People got up to leave or to claim what was sold to them. Jonah and I were in the back of the line. It didn't take long, but I was wondering why Jonah didn't want to be the first in line. Then, people started leaving. The tent was almost empty. And the next thing I know, Jonah was next in line.

"Ah, yes," the middle-aged man behind the table said. "You're the young man who won the antique ring, am I right?"

"Yes," Jonah said. "I am. But - - I want to show you something." The man looked into Jonah's eyes and his eyes went glassy, as if he was in another world. "I am going to walk out with that ring, and you're going to pay eight-hundred dollars for it. If anyone asks, I'm your nephew. Now, hand me the ring." The man slowly handed over the ring, and Jonah clutched it in his hand. "Thank you, and have a nice day." Jonah blinked, turned around and we headed towards Everett.

* * *

"You hypnotized that man," I started. "W-why?"

"I didn't have enough money. And, Elora, that's a shortcut in life. Everything that I can do is a shortcut."

"But you made that man pay eight-hundred dolla-"

"He owns a yacht, he lives in a huge house with his family. I read his mind and got into his 'memory box'. Believe me, he has _plenty _of money. Eight-hundred dollars will be like throwing away a ten-dollar bill for him."

I looked down at Jonah's hand and saw that he was still holding Calypso's second ring. I carefully took it from him and hung it on my necklace. After I had clipped the necklace around my neck, I slipped the ring part underneath my shirt, feeling the cool gold touching my chest. "We have it," I said. "We have the rings! Now we can go and get my parents!"

"Uh . . . there's just one problem," Jonah added. "We still don't know where Solomon's lair is."

* * *

**This part is 3rd person POV **

It was the middle of the night, and Jonah said he was going to buy some things from Walmart, that he'll be right back. Jonah went to a liquor store and bought beer and wine, and headed back into Everett. He wasn't going back to the motel, though. He parked near where the auction took place and got out of his car with a pack of beer. Jonah said under a tree, and noticed that the sun was close to setting in about an hour or so. Until then, he drank. He drank until his liver couldn't take it any longer. And when that happened, he drank some more. Jonah was completely wasted. He tried standing up, but quickly fell onto his rear end. He laughed at himself and gripped at the tree, trying to stand up again.

"Hey!" a woman's voice exclaimed. Jonah felt a hand grip his arm and when he looked up, it was a blonde woman, who's golden locks trailed a bit over her chest. "Are you okay?" She looked at the beer bottles everywhere. "Sweet Jesus, you're drunk."

"Celebrating," Jonah said, his eyelids getting heavy. "I think I'm gonna go home now."

"You're kidding me right? You're not driving."

"Let go of me, woman! I can drive if I want to." He tried pulling away, but he was seeing more than one of her. "Whoa! When did you multiply? This isn't math class."

"Yep, you're drunk. _Very _drunk."

She helped him up and walked him to her car. He sat in the passenger's seat while she sat in the driver's seat, starting the car. "I'm going to take you to my place so you can rest, and when you're sober enough, I'll take you back here. Okay?"

"Mm-kay."

In no time, they were at her house, and Jonah had collapsed on her bed. She was going into the kitchen to get him some water, and she started a conversation with him so he wouldn't collapse from all that alcohol. She found it cute, the way Jonah took off his jacket and then laid down on his back. She thought he was sleeping, but he was actually trying not to vomit. Then she tried to take off his shoes for him. Unexpectedly, Jonah grabbed her and threw her on her bed, getting on top of her. For a second, he thought she was Elora, but with blonde hair. Confusion flooded him and he was stuck in that position, trying to think. But the alcohol in his system wouldn't let him.

"This is a little sudden, don't you think?" the blonde woman said. She tried pushing him off, but wouldn't get herself to. Lust took over her and she kissed Jonah. When she kissed him, he thought of Elora, and that's who he thought he was kissing. Elora. The woman removed his clothes, and he did the same to her. Their clothes were flung around the room in random places and Jonah took off his ring, putting it on her bedside table. When he faced her, she kissed him again and he got on top of her, feeling her . . . _cold, _but soft body as they were driven with lust.

**If this chapter made you readers mad, I'm sorry ): I really needed a twist. **

**& I didn't want to put any detail in the last paragraph because it is rated T and I don't want to ruin that. **

**REVIEW PLEASE!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Please review! **

Jonah had woken up, with a massive hangover. He had a headache, and once he noticed he was naked, he cussed, knowing exactly what had happened last night. But when he looked beside him, the woman was gone. And so was his ring. And the sun had come up. Jonah got to his feet, putting on his clothes as quickly as possible, and exiting her bedroom. That's when he heard footsteps in the kitchen, and he followed the sound. There she was, the blonde woman, in black, leather shorts that could be considered another layer of skin, a gray belt, and a black, sleeveless shirt and around her neck, a chain with Calypso's second ring hung on it.

"Ah, good morning, Jonah!" she said with a grin. "Last night was unexpected. But I enjoyed it, and I know you did, too."

"How do you know my name?" Jonah asked, not remembering telling her that last night.

"Oh, my dear boy, I know _everything _about you. I know that right now you're helping a human girl. She's a beauty, isn't she?"

"Who are you?"

"And you've found Calypso's second ring! You already have the first one, because that human's father had it. Very lucky of you, but what are you supposed to do without the second one?"

"Give it back!"

"Tsk tsk tsk. Calm yourself, Jonah."

"Answer my question, dammit! Who are you?"

"My name is Aura. I'm like you."

"Like me?" Jonah asked, and remembered feeling her skin. How it was cold, and how she didn't have a heart beat. And then he got it. "You're a vampire."

"Ah, you answered it correctly. You probably don't know this: I'm one of Solomon's spies. I've been tracking you and your little girlfriend down for a while now. I've been watching _her _more than I've been watching you."

"Elora isn't my girlfriend," he said, but shortly thought about it. Then, pushed that thought out of his head. They could never be together. He's a vampire, she's human. He was afraid that he'd hurt her. And besides, even if they did decide to be together, they can't start a family because they're not the same species. Vampires take on the appearance of human beings, but they aren't human. It would _never _work for them, unless Elora decided to turn.

"I know all about her mommy and daddy being vampire hunters. Pretty ironic, isn't it? That she's falling in love with a vampire while her parents are hunters of our kind," she added.

"Falling in love?"

"Sure, why not? Just think about it, Jonah. It's just you and her, _alone, _for a few weeks, trying to get her parents back. Don't you think with all that bonding you two are gonna go through, that she might just get a wee bit of feelings for you?"

"Stop!" Jonah exclaimed. "Just give me the ring back so I can go!"

"Jonah, I'm afraid I can't. Solomon wants this ring back." Aura raised her eyebrows, remembering something. "OH! I almost forgot! Solomon told me to tell you something whenever I found you. Hmm . . . let me see. What was it? Oh, yes! He said: When you have Calypso's rings, meet us in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 31st."

"Halloween? That's five days away."

"Have fun with your little girlfriend before then, because on Halloween, _all _hell will break loose."

Aura turned around to head outside, but using his inhuman speed, Jonah pulled her back, sending her back-first into a wall behind them. He ripped the necklace from her neck and pushed her onto her back on the ground. She found this amusing, because she had a naughty grin on her face. "Are we replaying what happened last night?" Aura asked, looking at her necklace that was in Jonah's grip.

"I don't hit women, just vampire bitches like you." He literally tossed her across the room as if she was as light as a feather, and slipped the ring onto his finger, then ran out of her house, making his way to downtown Kingsland, Georgia.

* * *

Jonah had entered the motel room, startling me. I was eating McDonald's that I bought not so long ago, and yes, I bought something for Jonah, too. He looked sweaty, worried, and he was shaking.

"We need to go," Jonah said quickly. "_Now._"

"Why? Oh, and where were you yesterday?"

"I - - uh - - got drunk yesterday, some lady took me in her home and I spent the night there. But I can explain everything once we leave. Come on!"

I didn't question him. We got our things together and Jonah went to the front office to checkout of this motel. I had gotten everything put on Everett and we were about to leave. But then, I forgot I had left my necklace with Calypso's ring in a drawer near the bed. I hurried back inside to get it. Once I retrieved it, I hooked it around my neck and slipped the long chain in my shirt. I walked back to the front door of our motel room and there stood a blonde woman. The same blonde woman I had seen two days ago.

"Nice to see you again, Elora," she said. I could see burn marks on her face, arms, and legs. When she came closer, I saw the burns heal. Oh, God. She's a vampire!

"Uh, hi. Who are you?"

She stepped closer, and I took steps backwards. "Jonah will tell you all about it. I just want the rings."

"Solomon didn't tell us that he was going to have people pickup the rings."

"Oh, well, now you do. Hand it over. Now."

"Or what?"

"Or I drink all the blood from your body and leave your corpse for Jonah to find. Won't that be an interesting game of hide-and-seek?"

"Leave us alone. Get out!"

"Not without the ri-"

"ELORA!" Jonah exclaimed, throwing himself on the blonde woman. "Elora, get inside Everett. NOW!" Once he said _Everett, _I remembered what I had inside of the glove box. I ran to Everett, flung open the passenger's door and opened up the glove box to see my gun that Dad had loaded with silver bullets. _Silver slows vampires down, _I remembered and ran inside the motel. Only to see that the blonde woman was holding something to Jonah's chest. A wooden stake._  
_

"You're a vampire hunter?" I asked breathlessly.

"Sure," she said. "You can say that."

"Don't do it!" I held up my gun. "It's loaded with _silver _bullets."

"You won't do it," the woman said. "I can see that you're a coward. Huh, who would'a thought? Elora Hawthorne, the daughter of vampire hunters, is too afraid to pull a trigger to kill a vampire."

"I'm no coward."

"Oh, you aren't?" I could see that she was putting pressure on the stake on Jonah's chest, because he was flinching. When he opened his mouth to say something, she would try to pierce him with the stake. "Prove me wrong," she added, and when she said that, she pulled Jonah in front of her, wrapping his arms around him so she could get a good grip on the stake. She pushed on the stake harder, and I could see blood dripping down.

"DO IT!" Jonah yelled. "Kill this bitch!"

"But I'll shoot you, too!" I exclaimed.

"I don't care! KILL HER!"

Before I could even think, I pulled the trigger. Jonah fell onto his knees and the blonde woman fell onto her side on the ground. She was coughing up dark blood and her skin was turning to ash. Her hair and body withered into nothingness in a matter of seconds. And all that was left of her was the bullet I had shot, that was resting upon her ashes, and her leather clothes. And then I remembered - -

"JONAH!" I ran to his side, shoving my gun into my boot and pulling him to his feet. I dragged him into the passenger seat of his pickup truck and I got into the driver's. I started the car and drove off. He was in so much pain, that whenever we hit a bump, he would scream. "Jonah! The bullet exited your body! I don't understand why you're in so much pain!"

"Once silver is . . . in me . . . it immediately goes into my system, into my blood. I - - I need to feed," Jonah stuttered.

I pulled over to the side of the road, stopping the car with a screech. I was glad that Everett had tinted windows. I rolled up my sleeve and extended my arm to Jonah. "Drink."

"I won't drink your blood. I need an animal."

"Jonah, I'm not going to hunt down a deer for you right now. Drink my blood."

He continued to shake his head.

"Dammit, Jonah!" I took off my seat belt and crawled over to the passenger's seat, sitting on Jonah's lap. I was hoping I didn't cause him more pain. "Drink from me. Please. I don't want to see you die." _Did that last part come out right? _I asked myself.

"If I drink from you, I don't think I'll be able to control myself," he added.

I put my wrist onto his soft, cold lips. "Drink. Let's worry about that some other time. You know, when you're _not _slowly dying."

Jonah was shaking, I knew that much. I don't know if it was from the pain, or from the fact that he was about to have his first taste of human blood in so long. I readied myself, and I saw his fangs come out. He gripped onto my waist as he buried his fangs into my wrist.

**Please review! I had to do so much brainstorming to figure out what to do with this blonde woman. **

**I hope you enjoyed! :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**This is the last chapter I'm posting until Friday! If I get 3 more reviews on this chapter, I will post a new chapter by tomorrow or Wednesday!**

I know all about what had happened with Jonah and the vampire named Aura. I know Jonah had slept with her when he was drunk, and I didn't know how to feel about that. But I pushed it aside. I was doing the driving now. And Jonah was sleeping. He hasn't woken up in over fifteen hours and, at first, I thought he was dead. But then I remembered: he's a vampire, of course he's dead. I had to touch his face or do something to see him move. I was too paranoid, thinking that I had lost Jonah for good.

I had stopped to get some Chinese food at Panda Express, and bought some for Jonah, too, setting the take-out box on the backseat floor. I parked deep into the woods, and if it wasn't for the fact that it was daylight, I wouldn't have parked there. I had eaten all of my food, waiting for Jonah to wake up. I looked at my wrist, seeing the bite mark that had been left from Jonah. It doesn't matter to me if it hurt, or if he drank my blood. I had saved his life, after putting it in danger. The least I could do was that. Simply give him my blood. I was expecting myself to be afraid, quivering under his bite. But I sat there, on his lap, watching him. I wasn't afraid. Not of him, or his fangs, or the fact he's a vampire. I looked over at him, watching him sleep. I could still see a bit of my blood on the corner of his lip. I wiped it away. I guess I startled him, because he jumped, hitting his head on the ceiling of his truck.

"Shit!" he hissed.

"Hey," I said, laughing. "It's just me. How'd you sleep?"

"Real good." He looked at my wrist, and rubbed his face with his hands. "I'm so, so, _so _sorry."

"Jonah. It's not big deal."

"Yes, it is. I've gone so long without drinking human blood. And I didn't want to hurt you. Especially you."

"It only hurt a bit. But I'm fine. I'm just glad you're okay." I gave him a reassuring smile and he nodded, looking at the dashboard.

"I'm still sorry." Jonah looked so disappointed in himself. I took off my seat belt and stretched myself over to Jonah, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. He smiled a bit, looking at me. I couldn't get enough of his gorgeous, bright blue eyes. And then I noticed his cheeks were turning red, and I turned around in my seat, grabbing the take-out box and putting it on Jonah's lap.

"Eat up," I said. "We have a long way to go until we reach New Orleans. It's about eight hours and thirty five minutes from here."

"Take turns driving, right?"

"Yes! You'll drive at night since you're nocturnal, and I'll finish up driving in the morning."

* * *

We're in New Orleans, and the sun has already gone down. I took a short nap in Everett and Jonah was wide awake. He woke me up around eleven p.m. and told me that he had stopped at yet another motel. When we brought all our things inside the motel, I took a shower and then I come out, expecting Jonah to be naked, but he isn't. Thankfully. He's shirtless, of course, but he has on thin, black pajama pants on, and he slipped under the covers.

I tie up my hair into a high ponytail and slip under the covers beside Jonah. I know he isn't tired. He's nocturnal. So he doesn't sleep at night. I get comfy beside him, and he grabs my wrist, the one he bit, and I roll over on my side to face him. He looks at it, seeing the two little scabbed dots. I can see the familiar disappointed look on his face.

"If you say you're sorry _one _more time, I'm gonna take that ring away for the rest of tomorrow," I started with a smile. "I don't want you to be sorry. It was my choice whether or not to let you die right there beside, or to spare a little bit of my blood to save your life. I chose option number two."

"And I can't thank you enough."

"You're helping me get my parents back, aren't you? That's paying me back."

"That one drink of your blood is making me want more. I told you I haven't drank any human blood in so long for that reason. Blood is a vampire's fuel and addiction. I could've taken your life if I hadn't stopped."

"You don't think I didn't think twice about that? Of course I did. You're a vampire, but I trust you. If you needed more blood I would've given you more. I wanted to help you."

He smiled even bigger now, his blue eyes sparkling. "You gave enough, and I took a bit more than what I needed. But . . . thank you, Elora."

"Any time." I couldn't take my eyes off him, and then I thought I saw him come closer to me. When I thought I was imagining things, I was wrong. Jonah _was _getting closer to me. And then he stopped just inches in front of my lips.

"If you don't want me to, I won't," he said softly.

My jaw was clenched, I didn't know what to do! I was holding my breath. I wanted to kiss him so bad. He'd gotten under my skin, and now I can't get him out. I did what I didn't know I could do at the moment. I adjusted myself in the bed and moved closer to him until my lips touched his. I let out the breath I was holding, feeling Jonah's hands curling around my body, and I flung myself on top of him.

"Whoa," he murmured when he realized what I had done. I didn't mean to! It just happened! "I guess you want this more than I do."

"I - - I didn't mean to do th-" I stuttered, but was cut off by Jonah's kisses. I let my body sink into his. For a moment, everything was perfect. For a moment I didn't care about Calypso's rings, and I didn't care about the fact that I killed my first vampire yesterday, or about Solomon. I didn't care about anything at all. It was just about Jonah and I right there.

Then Jonah pulled away. "Wait," he started, holding my arms with a firm, yet soft grip. "I don't want this to mess anything up. And I won't do this if you don't to."

"If I didn't want to, then why didn't I stop?" I asked.

He smirked and kissed me again, his fingers tracing every curve on me. He started kissing my neck, and I thought it was cute, until I felt his fangs. I panicked, feeling my heart racing, and he pulled away from me. I saw his eyes, his once soft, blue eyes were now as red as blood. I just stared in wonder at them. I've never seen anything like this before . . .

And then he pushed me off. Not hard, just a gentle push. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and buried his face in his hands.

"Jonah . . ." I said softly. "Hey, what happened?"

"Elora, please, don't come close."

"If you tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help."

"No. I'm not making you my personal blood bank. I can't do that. Not to you."

I sat beside, with a leg thrown to over one of his own, and I extended my wrist to his lips. "I don't care if you drink from me. " With those words, he looked me right in my eyes, and I noticed that his eyes were still red, and his fangs were still out.

"I'm a fucking monster, Elora. Just look at me. I can't drink from you again."

"A monster? That's not what I see."

"Then what do you see?"

"I see Jonah. Nothing more. Nothing less."

Jonah smiled a bit, rubbing his face repeatedly. "Thanks, Elora. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go hunt down a deer."

"I thought you said you weren't going to drink blood."

"_Human _blood. These cravings are getting to me, and if I don't do something about it, I'll go insane and hurt you. And - I really don't want to do that. I'll be back in half an hour, okay?"

"Okay." He put on a shirt, and headed towards the door. "Wait," I started. He turned to look at me. "Don't get drunk and sleep with some vampire spy." We exchanged grins and I chuckled.

"Ha - ha," he sarcastically added. "_Very _funny. Goodnight, Elora."

"Goodnight, Jonah."

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	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry I haven't updated! School, school, & even more school! I'm lucky I even got on the computer on a school day! But I would do anything to make my readers happy! Enjoy & PLEASE review!**

I had forgotten to shut the blinds, and the sunlight came in, crawling onto my legs and covering my body in warmth. That's when I noticed I didn't have a blanket on, and that I was curled up on Jonah. One of my arms were stretched out, hugging his sleeping body. One of his hands laid on top of my arm, and I could see Calypso's ring on his middle finger. He was breathing, and I could feel it. His chest heaved up and down, and I went with it, since I was cuddled all over him. I don't remember being in this position, though. But, I didn't care. I enjoyed being cuddled up next to Jonah. _Ba-dum. _When I heard that, I thought of a million things it could be. But it sounded familiar. A beating heart. Do vampires' hearts beat? I listened closer for another sound. But I couldn't hear anything. When I gave up, I heard it again. _Ba-dum. _I stayed like that, listening to Jonah's heart beating as if it was the sweetest melody in the world. I compared his heart beats to mine. Mine were obviously faster. But his were barely thirty beats per minute.

"Are you enjoying this?" he asked, startling me.

"I was j-"

"Listening to my heart beating?"

I nodded, feeling embarrassed. "I didn't know that vampires' hearts could beat."

"_Some _vampires have beating hearts. Only the kind ones. The other ones are literally cold and heartless. The heartless ones live off of blood, like all of us, but they have to have blood every day. Or else they'll die. The evil ones don't deserve to live, so that's why their curse is doubled."

"I didn't expect your heart to be beating."

"You wanna hear it again?" He smirked at me, and at first I didn't know what he was going to do, then he sat up, and pulled me in. I felt my ear resting on his chest and I heard a _ba-dum _sound. His heart was beating. I found myself holding onto him for dear life. I don't know why, but it felt right, being right there with him. I pried myself off of him, and before I knew it, his ear was on my chest. And my heart starting racing. It's a good thing he couldn't see my face, because I'm sure I was as red as a tomato. He curled his arms around me and made sure there wasn't any space between us. I was sure I was going to pass out because I was holding my breath.

"Yours is beating really fast," he stated, adjusting himself to be able to hear better. "Are you okay?"

"O-oh, believe me, I'm fine."

He pulled away from me, and I felt empty for a second, until his beautiful blue eyes stared right into mine. "We have three more days until we go to get your parents back. No matter what they do, give them the rings, and walk out with your parents."

"Wait . . . you're not adding yourself in here."

"I know. Solomon has a bone to pick with me, and I don't think I'll be leaving that place when you do."

"Jonah, I'm not leaving that place without you. Okay?"

"You have to or Solomon might change his mind. Plus, all of Solomon's henchmen are vampires. If you don't cooperate, they'll kill you. And believe me when I say this . . . but they won't think twice about drinking you and your parents dry."

I exhaled through my nose and gulped. "What if you turn me before all of th-"

"No! Elora, that's the craziest thing you've ever said. I'm _not _turning you into what I am."

"But if it came down to it, would you? Like, if I was dying, or something like that, would you?"

"I would have second thoughts about it, but that's the _only _time I would _ever _think about turning you into a vampire."

"Jonah, what are we doing in the next three days?"

"Well," he started, raising an eyebrow with a seductive smirk on his face. "We can explore New Orleans, and we can do some other stuff." He leaned in and crashed his lips onto mine, pushing me down. He started tracing my neck with his lips and I couldn't help my laugh a little, until I gently pushed him off.

"You're sexually frustrated," I said with a chuckle.

He looked at me and smiled. "I don't know why, but I just can't stay away from you."

"Hmm, maybe I gave you too much blood?"

"No, not that. Because I've drank another person's blood before and I didn't feel like this."

"Lust," I added, not knowing what else to say. "It's definitely lust."

* * *

Jonah and I drove around, and parked beside a nearby Walmart. From there, we walked around for a while. The sun was shining bright and Jonah was enjoying every second of it. I knew he wanted to be human. Not a humanoid cursed to be a blood-sucking creature. I didn't see what could be so wrong with being a vampire, until I remembered the reality. Jonah can't walk in the sun unless he has that magical hunk of gold on his finger. He has to drink blood to be immortal, and if he doesn't drink, his body will slowly wither away and he will become a leathery, wrinkled corpse. Jonah's always cold unless he has something warm in his system, like coffee or a warm meal. He drinks and eats warm foods everyday, so it's as if he wasn't even a vampire. And after a while, I actually believe that he wasn't. But when he was thirsty, reality bitch-slapped me across my face. _Dumby, _I said to myself. _He's a vampire! Stop this! _I must admit, my feelings for Jonah have grown, and I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Besides, he's a vampire. What happens after I get my parents back? Will that be it? Will we say goodbye? And if we do, how long will we not see each other? Because I know I will be with my parents for a long time. How long will we be separated? A week? A month? ... Forever?

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	14. Chapter 14

**Today is Jonah and Elora's free-day! Nothing special, maybe a little bit of fluff here and there.**

This feels like _Twilight, _the movie. You know, how at the end of the movie, Edward and Bella are in a meadow, just talking. Jonah took me to Palmer Park in New Orleans, and right as we walked in, a massive tree - _I'm not sure what kind - _greeted us with a pleasant wave of its branches as the wind blew. We sat there, under the shade, and I could see Jonah stretching his hands out to where the sun breached through. He was trying to feel the sunlight again. Jonah saw me staring, and he slowly took off his ring, looked around, and slowly stuck the back of his hand under a small patch of sunlight. The skin on the back of his hand started sizzling and burning, and I could see his flesh becoming a dark shade of red. I quickly covered his hand with bother of my own and looked him straight in his eyes.

"Are you trying to expose yourself?" I asked him.

"You wanted to see what it would be like if a vampire was burned by the sun. Well, there you go."

"I didn't say anything abo-" Then it hit me. "You read my mind again."

"Sorry. It's really tempting, to figure out what goes on in that pretty little head of yours."

"Y-you . . . think I'm pretty?"

His face flushed. If you've ever seen a vampire blush, you'd know it's the cutest thing ever. "Well, you're not ugly," he said.

All I could do was smile at him. He's precious, that Jonah guy. He's gotten under my skin, and into my blood, and I can't seem to get him out. But I know it's wrong. For a human to be with a vampire, unless the human turned. Because there's absolutely no way a vampire can turn to a human.

Jonah put his ring back on, and looked at me. He didn't say anything. All he did was stare at me. I scooted closer to him and took off the beanie - that I had bought him - off his head and set it on my lap. His hair had grown in the past two weeks that I've been with him. The first time I saw him, his hair was just below his eyebrows. Now, his hair is close to the tip of his nose. Maybe it's a vampire thing. To grow long hair.

"Yeah, I know," Jonah stated. "I need a haircut. You don't suppose you know how to cut hair?"

"I actually like your hair like this."

"Elora, I look like I failed my senior year and turned emo. I seriously need a haircut. My hair's too long, and it doesn't help that my hair's blacker than midnight."

"Fine, you want a haircut? I'll take you to a barber."

"Whoa! I want a haircut! Not a shaved head."

I grabbed his hands and stood up, bringing him up with me. I'd forgotten that his beanie was on my lap and fell to the ground. Jonah bent over to pick it up. He shook the hat, getting rid of the stray grass blades stuck onto it, and put it on my head. "It looks better on you," he added.

We walked around, asked people the best place to get a haircut, and we headed towards a salon called _Supercuts _and waited for a seat to be available. We waited for what seemed like forever, and Jonah almost fell asleep. A brunette behind the counter was constantly glancing over at Jonah. And so were a few teenage girls that intimidated me with their good looks. I felt like garbage next to them. Jonah lifted his head from my shoulder, rubbed his face with his hands and then paused. As if someone had a controller and clicked the _pause _button. I could see him breathing. He blinked. His hands were over his nose and mouth, and I could tell he was smirking. He was trying so hard not to laugh. I nudged him with my elbow.

"What's up?" I asked.

"If only you knew what those girls are thinking about me."

"Uh . . . good things?"

"Things girls their age shouldn't be thinking."

That said it all. _Come on now, girls, _I thought to myself. For the first time, I got jealous. I felt like I wanted to throw that counter at them. Then I remembered when Jonah told me that he had slept with Solomon's spy while he was drunk. She was one lucky gal, I thought to myself. But then I got even more raged. I'm sure Jonah noticed, or at least read my mind, because he placed a gentle hand on my knee. I smiled softly at Jonah and I could tell that he was making the other girls jealous. I could see the teenage girls giggling and whispering to each other as they waited for their turn to get their hair styled.

Then, a tall, wide-hipped woman walked out of the styling room holding a black comb. Her hair was bright red like Arianna Grande's. "There's an open chair for a young man named Jonah." Jonah got up, took off his beanie, handed it to me and walked with the red-head to a chair. For a moment, all I could hear was the buzzing of the blow dryers, the giggles of teenage girls, the stylists talking to their clients, and then I heard Jonah. Or should I say his stylist.

"Those girls are practically drooling just by staring at you," she says.

"Oh, I'm aware."

"Tell me, how are you so good looking? I've never seen anyone so - - oh, it sounds a bit exaggerated - - but, how do you look so perfect? You're literally flawless. You have _gorgeous _eyes and you're in perfect shape."

"Years of taking care of myself. And thank you."

How could I have heard them over all that noise? They're all the way on the other side of the room.

"Oh, dahling!"

I look up and see a man wearing a white button-up shirt, skinny jeans and his hair looked naturally strawberry-red. It was spiked at the front and combed back on the sides. He grabbed my hand and got me to stand up.

"Is that your boyfriend? He's _gorgeous! _Are you treating him to a haircut? Oh, shame on him! He should be treating his lady!" He adjusted me, grabbing me by my shoulders and looking at my hair. "Your seems to be in good condition. May I touch?"

"Sure. But he's not my b-"

"Shush! Who would deny being that young man's girlfriend? Oh, I know I wouldn't!"

"W-well . . . I'm denying! We're just friends."

"Girlfriend, that's what you say now!" He continued to play with my hair, to twirl it around in his fingers and try to feel every strand of it. "By the way, my name's Phillip! I'll be your stylist for this afternoon."

"Stylist? Oh, I didn't -"

"Nonsense! I'm going to pamper you, okay? How about this . . ." he inched closer to me, cupping his mouth and moving closer to my ear. ". . . I'll give you a free trim, and if you want anything else done, it'll cost you."

Before I could say anything, Phillip had pulled me to the styling room and made me sit down on a comfy black chair. He put a magazine on my lap. "Choose," he says. "I'll cut your hair however you would like."

"Uh, how about if you dye my hair?"

Phillip gestured towards the magazine again and told me to take my time. I did. I looked through everything. Flipped every page, and finally found one. "Okay," I told Phillip. "I want this one."

* * *

Jonah was waiting for me outside of the salon, looking at his reflection in the one-way glass. He couldn't see us in the salon, but we could see him outside, touching his hair and trying to get used to it. It wasn't in his face anymore. It was trimmed about an inch and blow-dried to the side. He looked like a schoolboy, and I could tell he hated that. He stuck his fingers under his styled hair and shook it up, messing up the style completely. Jonah flipped his head and finger-combed his hair backwards, satisfied with the results.

"Done!" Phillip exclaimed. He was talking about the dying, the blow-drying, and curling. He had finished it all in three hours. No, Jonah didn't stand outside for three hours. He had let me know that he was going to get some food, and that when Phillip was done, he would take me somewhere. "Do you like it?" Phillip asked, after he spun the chair around. My hair was no longer the darkest shade of brown with golden-blonde tips. Now, it was light-brown. Phillip said it brought out my eyes.

I met Jonah outside, his eyes widened and his jaw practically almost hit the ground. "You look amazing," he said, touching my hair. "Although, I _am _gonna miss the blonde tips."

"I've had those for two years. I think a change was long past over due."

"I like it, your new 'do. Makes your eyes _pop!_"

"You took that from Phillip."

Jonah shrugged, holding out his hand which was inches from mine. He wanted me to take it. To hold it. I hesitantly intertwined my fingers through his and he smiled at me. "I heard about what Phillip said about you being my girlfriend. I honestly wouldn't mind."

"Well of course you wouldn't."

"I've been thinking about that," he said softly. "Being with you. But afterwards, when all of this is over. Then what?"

I question him in my mind, to figure out if he really did just read my mind when I was thinking about all of that. "I'm still going to see you, right?"

"But . . . if something goes wrong, no matter the circumstances, no matter what happens, I _need _you to leave without me."

"W-what? No. N-no. I can't just lea-"

"You have to. Okay? Please. Promise me that."

"I won't leave that place without you."

"If you don't leave, then they'll kill you."

"How about you, Jonah? I'll just waltz out of there with my parents while they literally rip out your heart? Or torture you?"

"Elora. I need you to do something for me. Okay?"

"O-okay," I stammered.

"I need you to trust me."

**Well, I'm disappointed in myself. The next chapter will be SO MUCH better! Review on how terrible I did. Lol!**


	15. Chapter 15

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"Two. More. Days," I say slowly to myself after I rinse out the mouthwash I had swished around in my mouth for a while now. "Two days until I see my parents." It's about one in the afternoon, and I had just gotten up from bed. I didn't sleep though. Barely. Literally just three hours of sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night because I had a nightmare. And Jonah was awake, of course, because he's nocturnal. He's been trying to sleep like a normal person for the past months, that's why he falls asleep with me at times. But tonight was one of those nights where we just couldn't sleep. Him and me both.

Jonah exits the shower and I immediately cover my eyes. He told me beforehand that I didn't have to, that he doesn't mind. But I'm _not _going to be tempted to look _down there, _if you know what I mean. My ears perk up like a cat's when I hear him slipping on his boxers. Then I hear the rustling of his jeans pulling up over his legs and I take my hands away from my eyes.

"You remember what I told you, right?" Jonah asks, messing up his dark locks as he scruffs at his head with his towel. "The plan is: We go in, I give Solomon the rings, he gives you your parents back, you walk out with your parents, and I stay."

I press my lips together and bite my tongue, hesitating to say something. And he can tell that I do. I think he's reading my mind again. _God, he's so gorgeous, _I think to myself as I look into his bright blue eyes. "You get yourself into so much shit," is the only thing I say.

"You brought this onto yourself."

"Onto _us._" And I immediately regret the only two words that had escaped my mouth at that moment. "I - - didn't m-"

"Chill. I know what you meant." I know he's right. I brought this onto myself. Onto _us. _If I had just stayed away from Hotel Transylvania and just been with Dad the whole time, maybe none of this would have happened. Solomon had spies watching me and my family for a while, I knew that much. So I'm guessing they were following Dad while he was hunting for Dracula in the middle of the night when I was asleep. They kidnapped him and that's when I wandered around like a lost puppy trying to search for him. And then I met Jonah. All of this isn't completely my fault. It's my Dad's. If he would have just stayed _put _before he decided to go looking for Dracula, maybe - - just _maybe, _none of this would have happened. _None. Of. This. _Which means I would have never met Jonah. Which means I wouldn't have gone on the adventure of a lifetime. And I wouldn't be falling for the one thing that my parents hate the most. But Jonah isn't like what they have their mind set on. He isn't cruel, or bloodthirsty. He's kind, caring, a perfect gentleman, and a sweet-hearted vampire who just wants to have be like us. Like you. Like me. He wants to be human.

"Two more days," Jonah says, his eyes boring into mine.

"Will that be our goodbye?" I ask, my bottom lip threatening to quiver. "Because if they take you, how will I know you're okay? How will we see each other if you get out of their alive?"

He steps closer, gently grabbing my forearms. "You will know."

"Jonah, that makes no sense. I'm not like you, I can't read minds. How will I know?"

"You just _will._"

My jaw clenches as I squeeze my body smaller, slipping out of his grip and wrapping my arms around him so tight, I'm sure he can't breathe. My eyes were threatening to let out its tears but I shut my eyes tight, not letting them out. I can't imagine him being tortured. Or killed. Especially that. My arms start shaking, and before I know it, my entire body is shaking. I was about to let my tears out, until I felt Jonah's arms wrap around me and I just let myself sink into him. I can feel the drops of water trickling onto my bare shoulder, the only sort of protection I have is my tank top.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into my ear, sending chills down my spine and all through my body.

"Why? You have nothing to be sorry about."

"About drinking your blood. About almost losing control. About everything."

"Don't be sorry. This is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to - - _anyone. _Who else can live to tell the story about their vampire-hunting parents being captured by vampires and meeting an insanely hot vampire to help? Only me."

"And who would've thought that I would've lived to say that I'm trying to save vampire hunters?"

"See? This world has an ironic sense of humor."

Things grow silent, and for a while, we're just holding each other. I can feel his grip tightening around me, and then he loosens up, grabs my shoulders pulls away, forcing to look at him. "You wanna go somewhere?" His sudden grin startles me a bit, but then I can see he's excited.

"Where?"

"You're gonna love it!"

"If you'd tell me where, I'd be happy to go."

"It's a surprise!"

"Then why bother asking me?"

We change our clothes in record time, and we head out to a car that isn't Everett.

* * *

It's the middle of the night, neither one of us is tired. I could feel the tension building up in Jonah, since we have a day left - _it's well past midnight here now, so technically it's the next day - _until we face Solomon. We're on top of a building that looks like a replica of a tower from the Taj Mahal. But a wider version. Jonah's sitting down, gripping the edge for dear life, and looking off into the distance, thinking.

"You know I can't read your mind, but I really wish I could right now," I said aloud, trying to break the silence.

He fakes a chuckle and tries to make eye contact with me. "Elora . . ."

"Y-yes?"

"On Halloween, when we go to get your parents back . . . I was thinking . . . It would be safer if you stayed out."

"What do you mean, '_stayed out_'?"

"I mean, don't come with me. I don't want Solomon or anyone else doing something to you. Because, believe me, I _will _kill them. So, please, Elora, _please _don't become involved in this."

"You're not making any sense. Jonah, they're my _parents! _I can't just leave!"

"How about the things holding your parents hostages? They're not like _you! _They're like _me!_"

"I don't care. I'm going to help get my parents back."

"Dammit, Elora! It's like you _like _getting yourself into trouble! I'm not doing this so you won't help. I'm telling you to _not _get involved because I care. About _you. _If those bastards lay a _finger _on you, I swear on God almighty I'll -" he stops talking, pinching the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. "I'll rip their heads off. You're human, which makes you vulnerable. An easy target for us vampires. Some vampires can't sense you, because my scent is all on you. But others, they can _hear _your heart beating, so they'll come for you. I don't want you to get hurt. It's bad enough you made me drink your blood, I can't even imagine those . . . those _leaches _drinking you dry."

I don't know what to say. All I do is sit there and look at him. I get it. I get that he's trying to protect me. But what if Solomon beats him? What if that's the end of it all? I can't just sit there, in a rented car, outside of a building, waiting for my parents to come out and let me know that Jonah's been slaughtered by Solomon. No. I can't deal with that.

"Fine," I said, lying through my teeth. "I'll stay out."

* * *

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	16. Chapter 16

**Please review!**

Jonah had told me to get as much sleep as possible, and at first, I slept for at least ten hours straight, until I heard the continuous sounds of Jonah working in the bathroom. He would come out with something in his hand, leave for an hour or two, and come back. By the time he left the first time, I was up. I had taken a shower and got out, opening up the medicine cabinet to find my moisturizer for my face, and found a syringe of blood. The syringe had a cap on the needle so no one would accidentally drop it and stab it into themselves. I didn't touch it. Just eyed it very closely. It wasn't human blood. I know that much. How do I know that? Simple. Because human blood isn't a dark maroon color. Human blood is a rich, dark-ish red color. But this kind wasn't - - _earthly. _

I heard the motel room door open quickly and I stepped out of the bathroom with the syringe in my hand. "What's this?" I asked, holding it out.

Jonah eyed the syringe closely, then looked at me. _It's something to kill Solomon, _I heard in my head. He used his telepathic ability to _speak _in my mind. _I can't say this out loud, because there are vampire hunters everywhere. _"Tomorrow night, I'm going to Solomon's lair at 9 a.m. _sharp _and I'll leave a note on the steering wheel with the map and everything else so they can get to you. When they've gotten here, you're going back home with them and -"

"No," I said quickly. "I'm not ditching."

"We already talked about this."

"I know! I'm pretty aware! I can't fucking leave you there like that!"

"Elora, calm down, honey. Just _calm _down. Because when I get out of there, I'm going to find you."

My breaths came uneasily, as if there was something in my throat that I couldn't get out. "What if you don't get out?"

"That's what I'm saying. If I don't get out, you should know."

"What do you mean? I should know?"

"You just _will. _Don't question it, okay? Just, be patient. And, for the sake of your parents, be brave. For them. For _me. _Don't talk to strangers, because they could be vampires. I'll leave a few stakes in here tomorrow night before I leave. Just in case you need it. Okay?"

I couldn't bring myself to say okay. So, I just nodded. I can't do that. I can't let Jonah go there by himself. Yes, I know the odds of me winning are very, _very _slim, but I have to try, don't I? Solomon will have no mercy for Jonah. And if anything happens to him, knowing that I could have done something to prevent that from happening. . . I will go insane just by thinking about it. "You're giving me a migraine," I say, lowering my head slightly as I shut my eyes, putting my fingers to my temples. That's when I feel his hands grab the side of my head gently, and then I feel his lips on my forehead, and I don't feel the pre-headache coming on. It vanishes.

"I promise," He whispers. "I will do my best to come back."

I feel like crying. Just imagining him being murdered in the hands of Solomon - who is still a mysterious face to me, given that I've never seen him in person - makes my stomach churn and my blood boil. I'm sure Jonah can feel my heart racing, about to jump out of my chest. "I'll be waiting."

He pulls away, looking me in my eyes. "No matter how long it takes, I _will _get back to you."

* * *

**The next day **

I can't stay still. Everything's quiet. Until 7 p.m. hits. Kids come out of their houses with all sorts of costumes on. I saw a little girl dress in an angel costume, a boy dressed as Luke Skywalker, and another boy who's dressed like a vampire. I'm not in Jonah's rented car, I'm outside, watching the kids walk by. I have a bowl of candy out for them. It was Jonah's idea. He bought a ton-load of candy and a massive bowl and insisted that I do something to distract myself from what would happen tonight. He said it would go by faster, just sitting at the front of our motel room and handing out kids their candy. Before I knew it, my parents would be here. Or maybe they wouldn't.

"Where is it?" I heard Jonah say from inside the motel room. The door was left open just a crack, but he was close to it, so I heard everything. "Give me the address." My heart started pounding as I slipped out my phone and clicked my _notes _app. "eight-oh-two Wallace drive. A - what? Mk, a warehouse. I'll be there at 9. How long will it take to get there?" I quickly typed everything down into my phone and waited for him to say something else. "Okay, ten minutes? It's not that far from here, is it?" Jonah cleared his throat and awaited the other person to speak. "Tell Solomon I have the rings and that I'll be there ASAP."

I clicked _save _on my cell phone and shoved it in my pocket before Jonah could come outside. I pretended to be caught up in giving out candy to the kids, but in reality, I felt like ripping out my hair. Jonah was walking to our rented car and I stopped him by saying, "Where're you going?"

"To Walmart. I'm getting extra food just in case your parents are hungry. What do they like?" he asked.

"They're vegetarian, so just get them anything green and healthy." He cracked a handsome smile at me, a smile that made me want to melt, and slipped into his car, driving away. I hurried inside the motel room and wrote on a piece of paper: _Gone to do some window shopping. I will be back soon! ~Elora _

I grabbed my backpack, stuffing everything into empty drawers and putting in wooden stakes, bottles of holy water and a ton of money that Jonah had left for me. I took out my phone, called a taxi, and told the driver to take me to the nearest fortune teller. I got off once we've arrived, and I paid him, then practically ran to the door. Someone opened the door before I could knock. And there stood a guy my age, or so he looked. He had golden-brown dreads that scaled halfway down his back, he was wearing a black tank top and white shorts.

"May I help you?" he asked, holding a cup of something hot, and taking sips from it.

"Actually, yes, yes you can."

He introduced me to the fortune teller, her name was Delilah and she was in her mid-fifties. She had her whole fortune-telling room set up with the mystical crystal ball in the center of it all and she was surrounded by odd things like beaded necklaces, puppets, incense burners, lighters, and a hand-full of candles. The lady grabbed my palm and massaged it, feeling the sudden give in my flesh as her thumb trailed my palm.

"I sense great misfortune in your future," she says with a steady, clear voice. Her eyes were closed the entire time. "Ah! Romance, I see! Who's the lucky young man?" She cracks a smile and I can see her ears perk up like a cat's. "You need help?"

I nodded slowly.

"Ah! Mystical creatures, I see! Don't worry, miss . . . what's your name?"

"Elora."

"Don't worry, miss Elora. I know about them."

"What do you mean, _them?_"

"Oh, don't be silly! You know what I'm talking about!" she lets go of my hand, standing on her tip-toes to stretch herself over the table. "About vampires."

My stomach flipped and my heart almost hit the ground. "Wow, you're really good."

"Thank you! And I hate to say this, but all I can do for you is give you a few holy-water-covered stakes, and that's it! I'm not sure what the solution is to battle a vampire!"

"Shh!" I shush. "I beg of you, _please _don't tell anyone."

"The only person who ever knows about my readings is _me, _my dear child. No need to worry!" She holds up a finger, telling me to wait, and hurried to the back room. I've seen too many movies to _not _figure out what happens next. Something could fall on Delilah, or some mysterious force attacks her. But no, instead, she comes out with necklace. It looks old and used. "This was found to be used by Dracula himself! It was used to protect him when the sun would go up! Lord knows if Dracula is alive or not, but if the legend is true, this should protect you. Vampire or not." The necklace has tied together with old, silver chain and at the end of the chain was a rusty locket. the back of the locket was chipped, revealing black stone. "I see great distress in your future. And you should have something to protect you."

I slowly take the necklace from her, putting it around my neck. "Thank you," I say, as I take out my money to pay her. When I do, I go back upstairs and see the guy with golden-brown dreads. He was blocking my only exit.

"I know who you are," he says. "And that lady downstairs knows, too. We're not stupid. Humans don't have these types of abilities. She already knew you were coming. She warned me ahead of time, so I prepared myself."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, completely confused.

"I'm a vampire. Delilah's a vampire. Your little boyfriend's a vampire. Heck! Even your parents will be vampire eventually!"

"WHAT?"

"It was just a theory. But, hey, I can't let you leave."

"What do you mean? I _have _to leave! Jonah's getting my parents back and I have to be there when my parents return!"

"Orders are orders. Sorry, sweat pea, I can't let you leave."

"Gah! I'm tired of this shit! I can't have one fucking day without being sidetracked by you people!" I dug into my boot and grabbed a mini stake that was not even a foot long, carved by the one and only Jonah. Dipped in holy water, which was my idea to do. I held it with a firm grip as I let the guy with dreads let it sink in that I had a stake. "Move out of my way!"

"Oooh! Aren't you a feisty one!"

"I've had enough of this!" Anger boiled inside of me and I ran up to him, thinking I was going to get him right in his heart. But he moved so quickly, I couldn't even take it in fast enough before he grabbed the stake from me. He quickly dropped it when he felt the holy water, stinging and sizzling in his palm and on the fingers of his left hand. I retrieved it and pushed him out of my way, running outside. I'd forgotten it was night, so he could come outside if he wanted to. The same cab that I had come out of was still there, parked in the parking lot waiting for me. I practically threw myself in the passenger's seat and woke up the driver.

"QUICK!" I exclaimed. "Take me to eight-oh-two Wallace drive!"

**Please review!**

**I won't post any more chapters until Friday!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Please review! THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!**

The drive was longer than expected. But I knew Jonah was already inside the run-down warehouse because our rented car was out in front. I paid the cab driver and tiptoed to the front of the warehouse, right beside the left-open-by-just-a-crack door. I wouldn't dare push myself back, because it would make noise. I heard Jonah. And a woman crying in the background. She sounded so familiar.

"Where is she?" a man's voice said.

"She's - - safe," I heard Jonah say. "She's safe." He repeated. But not to the man, who I'm guessing was Solomon. The woman sniffled and said, "Thank you." I recognized the voice. That's Mom! Mom's in there! My body gives itself a slight push, trying to make me run in there. But I know that if I'm spotted, it might just be the end of me.

"Where is she?" Another man asked. It's Dad! "_How _is she?"

"She's safe in the motel room we've been staying in for the past few days. She's waiting for the both of you," Jonah said.

"The rings," Solomon said with demand. "Give me the rings and they can go."

_They? _I thought to myself. _What about Jonah? _"First, let Elora's parents go."

"Oh, my dear boy, you don't trust me?"

"Don't give me that shit! You know good well why I don't trust you anymore!"

_Anymore? _I think to myself again. _When did this happen? _"Rings," Solomon said. "Now." He extended his hand, awaiting the magical hunks of gold.

I heard clinking sounds and I dared to peer through the crack. I did. And I saw Jonah tossing the rings to Solomon. I couldn't actually _see _Solomon because there was a stack of boxes blocking the view. He inspected the rings, eyeing them closely. He nodded and looked at his henchmen behind me, giving them a reassuring nod. "I needed the girl, though," Solomon added.

"Why would you need Elora?" Jonah asked.

"You aren't the only one who ruined my family! You know what she did! You were there! Elora shot my daughter! She killed her! Unless you somehow get her here, you nor her parents will be leaving." I heard something drop to the floor. A cloak, or something.

"What?! NO! You said if we gave you back Calypso's rings you would let them go! I don't care if you keep my captive, just let them go!" Jonah exclaimed. I could see my father caressing my mother, trying to calm her as tears ran down her face. My insides churned and burned, my heart raced and I became infuriated.

"Exactly. _We. _As in the both of you. As in: Elora has to be here, too."

"You fucking vermin!"

"Like I said before, neither you or her parents are leaving. Now, tell me, was it her choice to stay at the motel?"

"It was my decision. I didn't want her coming here so something like this could happen."

"Ah! That was a smart yet _stupid _choice for you to make. You should've brought her along to make the party more interesting."

"This isn't a party. It's a trade. You have the rings, now all I need are Elora's parents back. If you don't want me to leave, then I don't have to. It's them that I'm worried about."

I crack a smile at Jonah, and I melt at the sight of him. He looks so - - - so _powerful, _is the best way I can put it. So official, brave, and as if he could take on an army of vampires. Heck, even werewolves! I could practically see the fumes coming out of his ears from how mad he was. But he kept himself together.

"These humans have no meaning to me. They're merely just . . . walking bags of blood, if you will. A living, walking, breathing supply of what fuels us. Tell me, Jonah, why do you care so much for them?"

"It's not particularly those two, I hardly know them. It's -"

"It's that girl Elora girl isn't it?"

"Humans in general."

Solomon gave a smirk and he waved a hand, sending the henchmen out the warehouse by the backdoor and I ran behind a tower of boxes when Solomon's back was turned. Jonah didn't see me, but my dad did, and I put a finger to my lips, signaling him to shush. Jonah stepped closer, and I could see he was holding a stake. That's when I saw Solomon throwing punches that were so fast, they became dark blurs. I covered my mouth trying not to scream. But at first, Jonah was actually winning. He was going to make it out alive! I leaned over the boxes far enough that I could see what was happening but not far enough so they could see me. To my luck, I accidentally knocked over the pile of boxes.

I felt someone grasping at my hands behind my back and kept them there. I tried to fight the person off, but he was too strong. A vampire. He walked me in the front of the warehouse, with me struggling to break free of his grasp.

"Ah! Look who we have here!" Solomon exclaimed in a cheery voice. "So! She decided to join us!" I could hear my parents gasping and calling out my name in joy, they were so happy to see me. That was my first time looking at Solomon. I mean _really _looking at him. Taking in his dark-blonde hair, and smoldering gray eyes. He had small wrinkles around his eyes, and his fangs were oddly larger than usual. He was wearing a black button-up shirt and black pants. His hair was slicked back, and he just _reeked _with ungodliness.

The vampire henchmen made me stop when I was a bit in front of Jonah, then he let me go. "What the hell are you doing here?" Jonah asked. "I told you to stay back!"

"I know! But I - - I panicked! I went to a fortune teller who turned out to be a vampire along with some guy with dreads and -"

"Fortune teller?"

"Enough!" Solomon cried. "For damn's sake! You two can have a conversation about this another time." He grabbed me by my neck, curling his cold, rock-hard fingers around my throat. He pulled me in and dug in my backpack, taking out a stake. It was dipped in holy water, but he only winced a bit when he felt it sizzling into his flesh. He looked me in the eye, his eyes changing color. And I felt myself falling into something. I felt mellow, and everything around me was so quiet. "_I want you to take this stake, and I want you to kill Jonah._" Before I knew it, I was holding the stake, and I had no control over what I was doing. My body moved itself to face Jonah, and I stood still for a while.

"Jonah!" I exclaimed. "What's he -"

"_Kill him!_" Solomon cried. I had no control over my body. I came at Jonah, aiming at his heart. Fortunately, he moved. Of course, he moved faster than me. He was only a blur when he moved that quick. I was trying so hard to control myself, to _stop _from trying to kill him. But nothing worked. I put all my will into trying to take back control of my body. _I can't kill Jonah! _I screamed in my head. _I can't! I . . . I love him! _

"You bastard!" Jonah exclaimed, and I could hear my parents screaming. "You brain-washed her!"

"Sure as hell!" Solomon said, followed by a chuckle that burned my insides.

Before I could charge at Jonah again, he tackled Solomon to the ground with inhuman strength and punched him hard on the side of his face. Just then, I felt like I got my body back. It stopped! But I knew it would be a very short, temporary solution. That once Solomon is up, I would be under his spell again. That was it. It was either me or Jonah. Me or Jonah. Me or J-

Before I could think about it any longer, I embedded the stake deep into my stomach. The sudden gush of my blood got the attention of both Jonah and Solomon, and Jonah and my parents screamed, while Solomon's gray eyes turned red. Jonah snapped Solomon's neck, pushed him off and ran towards me.

"Shit," Jonah murmured. "shit, shit, SHIT, _SHIT!_ Why did you do that!?" Just then, I felt two pairs of warm hands on either side of me.

"My baby!" Mom exclaimed.

"Oh, my God. No, no, NO!" Dad cried.

Jonah took out the stake that was in my flesh and I screamed, my blood flowing even more. I felt cold. "You don't think vampire blood will h-help, do you?" I asked Jonah, forcing a crooked smile.

He shook his head. My mother looked at him, just now figuring out he's a vampire. "You're a. . ." she started, but Jonah nodded before she could even finish her sentence. Mom put a hand to her chest and fanned herself with the other, as if she was about to faint. "Well, I'm in shock!"

"Vampire blood won't heal me. I know you can read my mind. Read it," I said to Jonah. "Turn me. I couldn't kill you. So I made a decidion, it was either you or me at the end of that stake. A-and I chose myself." He buried his face in his hands and shook his head.

"I can't. I can't," Jonah said. "You know how I feel about doing this. I don't want to - - to _curse _you!"

"Please," Mom added. "Please. I don't want to see my baby girl die."

Dad only looked at Mom as if she had three heads. "I . . . well . . . " He got on his knees and kissed my forehead. "No matter what will happen, you will always be my baby girl." His vice cracked and his bottom lip began to quiver. Dad got up and walked to the other side of the warehouse, pinching the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. I heard sobbing noises.

"I don't have a long time until I run out of blood," I add. "Jonah, please!"

"I can't believe I'm doing this," he murmurs.

Jonah's eyes turned red, a beautiful, breath-taking shade of red. It wasn't that wild, untamed, blood-red color. It was something I've never seen before, there's just so much from Jonah that amazes me. I'm wondering if this will all end like this. Jonah scooped me up in his arms, tilting my head to the side. I thought he was going to bite me, just one quick bite to my neck and _poof. _Done. But, no. Jonah kissed my temple softly, and I felt his hands shaking.

"Just . . . relax," he whispered, shaking violently. "This is gonna hurt a bit." I clutched at his forearm with one hand and grabbed my mother's hand with the other. I gave a pained grunt when I felt his fangs pierce my jugular. I could feel something cold racing up to my brain, and giving me a massive headache. I felt woozy, dizzy, and as if I was going to blackout. I fought the multiple black-outs, trying not to faint. Then, my whole body was in pain. Every inch of my body felt as if I was being put in a freezer. Cold, hard, and I instantly felt my body changing. All I know is that I couldn't fight it anymore, and I blacked out.

**Please review!**

**The idea for this chapter was from Sondardo! Once again, thank you so much!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Took me a while to think of what to put in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed (: **

**If you would do me a favor and please review!**

"How is she?" Mom asks Jonah, who's right beside my bed. We're at the hotel. My mind is conscious, but I can't get my opens to open, and I can't move any part of my body. All I can do is breathe, and listen. "Is she okay? How's her breathing? Did her wound heal completely?"

I can hear Jonah chuckling. "She's fine. Her body's changing, coping with the fact that the core of her DNA is altering. _Enhancing, _if you will," Jonah answers. "I promise you, she's alright."

"This is the first time I've seen her in over a month, not counting the extra month that she's spent with her father and away from me, but nonetheless, I miss my baby. And now she's a . . . a - "

"A monster?"

"A . . . vampire."

"You can go ahead and say it. Call me a monster. A killer. I didn't want to this to her. I didn't want to curse her."

"You saved her life. Yes, her father and I are vampire hunters, and . . . maybe we despise vampires, but that's our daughter. We can't hate her. Or the man who saved her life. I know a good man when I see one. If you were a so called 'monster', you would've killed her or to the very least drank her blood."

"I did that. I drank her blood. But I didn't force it. I didn't even _want _it because I knew I would want more. It was when Elora shot Solomon's daughter. The bullet went through me and into her. Elora got me out of there and drove off and convinced me to drink her blood. If it was up to me I would've just drank animal blood. It won't heal me as fast, but blood is blood."

The mattress sunk, the only sign that Mom had sat down on the bed near me. "When she wakes up, what will happen?" Dad asked, coming out from the bathroom.

"Well, she'll most likely need to feed," Jonah answered. "I could go hunt down a few squirrels or something real quick. I really fast on my feet if you didn't notice back at the warehouse."

"I'll give blood," Mom said quickly. There was a silence in the room. She broke that awkward silence. "She's my _daughter. _Her father won't give any blood because he's sick right now and I don't want him getting our daughter sick." I think she forgot the fact that vampires _can't _get sick. They're immortal. "I'll give her my blood so she can feed."

I heard Jonah sigh and he got up from beside me. "I'll be back. Don't take your eyes off her. There are stakes and holy water in the second drawer beside the television set just in case a vampire or two comes in. And please, don't you think about killing me. I'm your only hope on keeping your daughter healthy and alive in her new form. Unless you want your daughter to rot, I suggest you plan on aiming those stakes at the bad guys, not me." I hear a door close, and as soon as he leaves, I can hear everything. My parents' hearts beating, someone coughing outside, _their _heart beats, _everything. _

* * *

I wake up shortly after Jonah leaves, and I sit there, not looking at my parents. Even though Mom is caressing me by passing her petite hand through my hair, and Dad is sitting at the edge of the bed, looking at me. I don't know what to say. My head hurts. I can _read _their thoughts, and I have enough strength in me to push their thoughts aside, because I can't actually _understand _them. I'm getting more than their thoughts, I'm getting the thoughts from the people in the rooms next to us. It's as if I was in the middle of a crowd of people having meaningless, loud conversations while I'm trying to focus on one voice. That voice would be mine. I can't even hear my own thoughts.

"Back!" Jonah calls as he slips into the motel room as he holds a bag of _something_. It's sunny outside. Jonah looks right at me when he sees that I'm awake, puts the bag down on the floor and rushes toward me. He looks like a blur for a second until I see that he's right in front of me. He's hugging me, really hard.

"I'm so glad you're awake," he says softly, knowing that my ears are very sensitive to sound right now. He pulls away, holding me firmly by my shoulders and looking me in my eyes. "Tell me, how do you feel?"

"I . . . can _hear _everything. I can _see _everything I couldn't see before. I feel dizzy and hungry and -"

"Look at your eyes," he says to himself with a smile. "You're definitely changing." He holds up my cell phone, but I don't see my reflection. My lips part and my jaw threatens to drop.

"I d-don't see anything," I stutter.

Jonah shoves his hand into his pocket, as if remembering something, and smiles at me when he says, "I have something for you." He pulls out his hand, that's now in a fist, and opens it. Sitting in the middle of his palm is one of Calypso's rings.

"How'd you get it back?" I ask, the question getting caught in my throat and I almost choke.

"Oh, you missed it all. Snapping Solomon's neck didn't kill him because he will heal. It was only a set-back for him. After I turned you and you blacked out, I took the stake I was using when we were about to fight, and killed him."

"You . . . you _killed _Solomon?!"

"It was easier than you think. The henchmen didn't suspect a thing because they were all gone, smoking a few joints in the woods and compelling their victims to let them feed off of them."

"So, that's it?" I asked. "It's done? Everything's back to normal?"

"Everything but you." He frowns a bit. "I still hate myself for turning you."

"It was the right thing to do," Dad said with a sigh. "Or else she wouldn't be alive right now. It doesn't matter if I hate vampires, but now that my daughter's one of them, I can't do that anymore."

"So, you're going to stop hunting vampires?" I asked.

"Heavens, no!" he chuckles. "I just won't hate you or Jonah!"

"At least I'm off his kill list," Jonah says with a chuckle. "And that's better than nothing."

I could see the way Mom was looking at me. She was upset about something. I was going to ask her what's wrong, until she rested a gentle hand on my knee and looked me in my eyes. "Elora . . ." she started. Jonah looked at her. He already knew what she was going to say. But I didn't. "The three of us talked about this while we were driving back here, and . . ." She cleared her throat. "How do I say this? Uh, baby girl, you're coming home with us."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's a bad thing?"

"She left out something else," Dad added.

Mom continued by saying, "Jonah isn't coming with us. H-"

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed.

"There's still some things I have to do before I go back to Romania. You've missed a month without your parents, and you're getting that month back. Plus the month you haven't been with your mother, and that's how long I'll be gone and -"

"W-what," I whispered, barely audible. "You're . . . leaving? For two months? I won't see you for that long?"

Jonah slowly nodded, not meeting my eyes. "It's going to be good for you. You'll be together with your family again. And I'll be out of the picture for a while so it'll be as if this never happened."

"But it _did _happen! I'm a vampire now! I can't waltz around in the sunlight and -" Jonah cut me off by tapping the finger that Calypso's ring was on.

"You have the ring."

"Exactly. I'll be reminded everyday about what happened. About what - - - _who _I am now." I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing. The rest came out like a whisper. "Are you really leaving?"

"I'm coming back on Christmas."

"Two months away . . ."

I sunk back into my mattress, wanting to ball up, shrink and disappear from sight. I was now lying down and covering my eyes with one hand, not wanting to look at anyone right now. _I can't see Jonah for two months . . . _I thought to myself. _Dammit, Elora! Get your shit together! Don't cry! _And I didn't. Thankfully. I stood up, threw my legs over the side of the bed and headed towards the door, noticing I was wearing a different shirt. Someone had changed my shirt into a deep blue tank top, but I was still in my skinny jeans. With his super speed, Jonah stood in front of me, and I shimmied right by him, not even grazing him as I walked past. I stepped out of the motel room, flooded with warm sunlight and Jonah grabbed my wrist.

"Where are you going?" Jonah asked.

"Just let me go," I murmured, not making eye contact.

"I'm not letting you leave."

"Why? Aren't you already doing that?" I spat. He flinched and loosened his grip on me. "If we're going home, then why shouldn't we just go? Just to spare to agony."

"You're not the only one hurting. I have to see you go, and I can't see you for two months. Don't think that I don't have any feelings for you, because you're wrong. If I could, I would spend every moment with you, but I can't. I'm doing this for you and your parents. Not for me. I have business to take care of and I'd like it if you weren't here to witness it. Because, trust me, it isn't going to be pretty. I'd rather you spend two months happy with your family then in agony over here."

I only met his eyes for a split second, then looked at my feet. "I just need to take a walk."

"You need to feed. Your mom already said she'd -"

"I'm not drinking from my mom."

Jonah gave a sigh, and nodded. He pulled me back in the motel room, locking the door - which it wouldn't help because I could just open it back up - and dug into the plastic bag he brought. He took out an empty blood bag, a small plastic tube, an empty syringe and walked towards my mother, looking her in the eye and asking her, "May I?". Mom held out her arm and Jonah carefully put the IV into her arm, and giving her the empty blood bag. She made a fist over and over again, and I watched as the blood slowly flowed through the small plastic tube and into the bag. I turned away, feeling an aching pain in my mouth. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked over my shoulder quick, as if I was slapped. It was Jonah. He had a concerned look on his face. He inspected my eyes again, getting closer to my face this time.

"You're hungry," he said softly. "Let me see your teeth. C'mon, smile."

I didn't move my mouth, nonetheless smile. Jonah put his thumbs above my top lip and pulled my upper lip upwards, exposing my teeth. "Yep," he adds. "Your fangs are coming out. Does it hurt?" I pry his hands off of my mouth, finding it easier to do so given that I'm stronger now, and nod at him. "Of course, you're a newbie, so it'll be hard to control your urges. Don't look at your mom right now. Actually, don't look at your parents. Focus on me. I'm not human so you won't be tempted to atta- I mean . . . you won't be tempted to feed off me."

I look at him, feeling my mouth watering. And I accidentally take a glance at Dad, who's caressing Mom's face. And I see a tear going down her face. My eyes travel from her face to the blood bag and I feel my body pushing itself toward her. Jonah grabs my arm and pulls me back.

"What did I just tell you?" he asked.

"S-sorry," I said, shutting my eyes and turning away from my parents. "How am I going to last two months without you? Who knows, maybe I'll - -" I pretended to clear my throat and lowered my voice. "Maybe I'll hurt my parents."

"I know you won't."

"How can you be so sure? We can't take half a day to teach me how to control myself. It's impossible."

"You're strong enough not to let that happen. I know you are. Trust me. It _won't _happen."

I sighed, resting my forehead on Jonah's chest, _hating _him for leaving, but loving him for staying, if that makes any sense. I wouldn't dare say it. Wouldn't dare tell him how I feel about him. I know he's into me, it's obvious, but what if he doesn't feel _like that. _I can't.

"I promise I'll be back," he says, stroking hair ever so gently. "It'll go by fast. I'll check in every once in a while."

"You'll . . _check in?_" I asked, not knowing what that meant. "So, I'll get to see you?"

"Well . . . no. I'll see you, though. I'm just, uh, how you say, keeping tabs. Making sure you're okay. If you're in any real danger, I'll be there."

"How will you know if I'm in danger?"

"Oh, trust me, I'll know. I always find a way."

I ended up drinking Mom's blood from the blood bag as if it were a glass of Coca Cola. I finished the whole bag in less than five minutes. It settled down the cravings and urges, but it didn't take them away. I wanted more. Thankfully, I had enough self-control to, well, to _control _myself, of course. Jonah made me sleep when the sun went down. At first, I couldn't, but then he laid down next to me on top of the covers while I was under. My parents somewhat approved of that with a slight nod. I expected that from him, since, you know, Jonah's been around for a few centuries, so I'm sure he's had plenty of girlfriends and plenty of time to practice on how to be a good boy friend.

"Good night," Jonah said, his arm slithering under my neck, making me curl up closer to him.

"Good night," I whispered back, thinking to myself, _Please don't leave._

**Please review! Thank you for reading (:**


	19. Chapter 19

It's one in the afternoon, and the sun is beating down on me. It doesn't hurt, because I'm wearing Calypso's ring, and Jonah's wearing the other one. Today's the day where we pull away. When we won't see each other for two months. Well, I won't be able to see him, but he will see me. Mom and Dad are already on the plane with Jonah, and I was at the nearby Starbucks getting a coffee. My skin was too cold. It felt like soft, squishy ice. I made my way into the plane, sitting next to Jonah, and waiting for the plane to take off.

When we landed, we rushed to Everett, Jonah's well-missed pickup truck. I settled in the passenger's seat while Mom and Dad put their things in the back and sat in the back seats. Jonah sat down, closed the door to his side and stared at his steering wheel for a moment. He sighed, and started the car. I knew something was wrong, something bothered him. I didn't know what. I could read his mind, if he would teach me. But right now, I feel like a human, not a vampire. I was quiet all through the ride, drinking a blood bag donated by Mom. They were all quiet, and I was taking in the sound of, well, of _everything. _I heard Dad's steady breathing and Jonah's slow heart beats. It almost put me to sleep. _Almost. _But I was awake the whole ride. After hours of being on the road, there was a place that looked familiar to me. Mom's house. It didn't feel like home anymore, though. Jonah looked at me, but I didn't meet his eyes. I opened the door to my side and stepped out after my parents. They grabbed my things, even though I offered to take them myself, given that I can handle almost five times as much weight as I used to, but they insisted that they'd carry it. I followed them to the front of the house, but something grabbed my arm before I could even step inside the house. It was Jonah.

"Are you ignoring me?" he asked, turning me around so I could meet his eyes.

"No," I simply stated.

"You're upset."

"We already talked about this. I know that you feel the same way that I do, Jonah, but I just w-" I felt cold, soft lips against my own and realized that Jonah had kissed me. I didn't know what to do, where to put my hands, so I kept them beside me, with my hands balled up into loose fists. My insides churned and my stomach did back flips. As soon as I thought the kiss would go deeper, he pulled away, leaving me wanting more.

"I know you're upset," he whispered, sending a chill up my spine. "And believe me, I am, too. I wouldn't leave you like this."

"Then don't," I added. "Stay here."

"There's something I need to take care of. I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Well those two months couldn't be farther away."

He cracked a smile and grabbed my fists. "I'm going to miss you."

I nodded. "I'm gonna miss you, too."

"You'll do fine, Elora. I know you won't hurt anyone."

I nodded, pulling away slightly. "I'll see you soon." Everything inside of me tried to make me say it. Tried to make me tell him how I feel about him. Because what if he didn't come back? That would be my only chance. I opened my mouth to say it. But quickly shut it. Jonah noticed and raised an eyebrow, but I shook my head.

"It was nothing," I said quietly. "I'll see you in two months."

Jonah stood there for a while, eyeing me, but I wouldn't meet his eyes. If I did, I would start crying like a baby, so I just looked at my hands. He stepped closer and kissed my cheek, whispering something in my ear that I couldn't quite understand and walking to Everett. I stood there on the front steps of Mom's house, watching as Jonah got in his truck, and drove away. It was as if a part of me got ripped out. I don't know how, but I became infuriated. I charged in Mom's house, shutting the door behind me and going up to my old room, noticing that my parents had already put my things upstairs. My things. The clothes Jonah had bought me. I pressed my back against my bedroom door and felt my bottom lip quivering as I slid down the length of it until I was sitting down. I felt something wet on my forearm and noticed I was crying. I wiped my face with my hands and smelled something so . . . . _delicious. _I got up, letting my nose lead the way. I searched through a suitcase that I didn't know I had and opened it up. It was a suitcase full of blood bags. They were lukewarm, so I rushed to put them in the mini fridge I've had in my bedroom for about five years now. I stuffed them in there and took one out, drinking the blood from inside the bag. Once I was finished, I tossed the bag aside and looked in the mirror. Now that I have on one of Calypso's rings, I can see my reflection. I saw how flawless my skin had gotten. Not a blemish in sight. My eyes were the color of red velvet and my teeth were whiter. I turned my head a bit to the right, seeing the bite marks on the left part of my neck. I let it all sink in.

It happened. I can't change who I am. I'm immortal. I'm a vampire.

* * *

A month has passed since I've seen Jonah, and I don't feel the same. I haven't eaten a meal with my parents in that time period. Even though they're divorced, they still put up with each other. Actually, they've never been happier with each other. I could hear them laughing due to my inhuman hearing. I've actually self-taught myself. I know how to read minds, how to specifically listen to something or _someone, _and I know how to turn into a bat. I've already got the super-speed part down when I went for a jog.

It's November 30th, well, actually it's December 1st, given that it's one in the morning. I don't actually know where I was running to, but then I noticed I was right in front of the dark woods. Where Hotel Transylvania is. I held my breath and stepped through the thick, dry bushes and shimmied by the trees. I saw a clear path and took off running. It took a while to realize what way I should've gone, and at first, I thought I was lost. But then I stopped, feeling my the heels of my shoes skid on the concrete, and saw the grand building known as Hotel Transylvania in front of me. I barely even took a step forward and that's when I saw Everett pulling up in front of Hotel Transylvania. My heart sank and I was sure it was Jonah. The driver's seat door opened and out came the man I fell in love with a month and a half ago. He walked towards the door of Hotel Transylvania and opened the door, stepping inside. I'm about to take a step, and then I'm pulled backwards, back into the woods, landing flat on my back with someone on top of me. It was Mavis.

"Who are you?" she hissed, looking into my eyes. "And what're you doing h-" She stopped talking, examining my face and her lips parted slightly. "Oh, my . . . God. E-Elora? Is that you?"

I nodded slowly. "It's me."

"Who . . . how did you . . . _WHEN?" _

"I was turned about a month and a half ago. You wanna know who turned me? Jonah did. He turned me."

Her eyes widened, and she slumped to the side. "I can't believe it. My little cousin Jonah. . . but I thought he would _never _ever do that?"

"I was dying. He couldn't save me with his blood, so I begged him to turn me. He didn't want to. And now I don't know where he is." Those last words made my bottom lip quiver. "I haven't seen him in a month. A-and he's in there. In Hotel Transylvania."

Mavis stood up, brushing off the dirt on his knee-length black skirt and helped me up. "Go ahead." I smiled, getting up quickly and using my super speed to run inside the hotel before the door shut. I looked around, not seeing a single person . . . or should I say _monster. _I run to the first counter, looking down and seeing a baby wolf. A werewolf. She looks up at me with wide, gray eyes and points towards the elevator. I make my way to the elevator, then remember something. _Ha! Who needs elevators when you know how to fly? _I morph into a bat and fly out of one window, making my way upwards to the top story. Then I hear him. His voice. I perch on the window sill outside and use my superhuman hearing to listen.

"She's safe," Jonah says to someone. "But I get this feeling something's gonna happen."

"Tell me, my dear nephew, did you turn her? Is she one of us?" It's Dracula.

"Yes, I did. I wouldn't have turned her if she didn't try to kill herself. It's all Solomon's fault! He hypnotized her and made her try to kill me. I cut it off for a while, and I knew Solomon would re-hypnotize her when he got up. And Elora did, too. So she made a choice. She said it was either me at the end of that stake or her. And she chose herself."

"So . . . she sacrificed herself for you?"

"Yes, pretty much."

"And a day later you just drop her off at her house and wish her good luck? Are you mad, Jonah!? She's a newbie vampire and you _know _how they can't control their urges! How did she feed? How did she know what to d-"

"I left a suitcase full of blood bags I stole from a blood bank. It was no biggie. It was at least a month's worth or more."

"What if she runs out? Have you checked up on her? For crying out loud, Jonah! You're making me hyperventilate! Or I might be having an anxiety attack. Or both!"

"I've checked up on her when she was sleeping. Nothing big, just sat in a tree and watched her to see if anything was wrong. Sometimes I would come by when it was sunny, because that's when she's out and about, but other than that, I haven't actually _talked _to her. And - - I don't think she would like to see me. Uncle, I read her mind before I left. She hated me for leaving. She must regretting stabbing herself with that stake for me."

_That's not true, _I thought. _I would take a million stakes for you. _

"I can't show myself," Jonah said.

"Why not? Go now and surprise her. She must be sleeping, right?"

"What if she doesn't want to see me?"

"Trust me, my dear boy, I'm _positive _she wants to see you." That's when I knew that Dracula could hear me, could read my thoughts from where he was. Well, he's Dracula, after all. Can't forget that he's the oldest, most powerful vampire in the world. I heard footsteps leaving the room and I took off flying to go back home. _Jonah's coming to see me! _I cheered in my head. _C'mon, wings! Fly faster! _

When I got home, I threw myself in my window, forgetting that I'm supposed to have a good distance between me and the ground, and ended up falling on my face when I landed. I rushed over to my mirror, fixed my hair a million times and sat criss-cross in bed. And waited. And waited.

Hours passed. I checked my clock. Over. And over. And over again. Before I knew it, it was seven in the morning. Six hours have passed. And Jonah was no where to be found. I gave up. He didn't come.

**Review please!**


	20. Chapter 20

It's December 27th, two days after Christmas, and I haven't heard from Jonah in that long. I ran out of blood bags a while ago, so I sneak out of my house to hunt for squirrels. Occasionally, I steal blood bags from a hospital and I feed from that. I've given up. On mostly everything. I don't get urges anymore. Even though I don't get urges, I still feel as if I was missing something, and it kills me inside because I _need _to find out. I don't go outside. I've fallen into depression. Mavis calls me everyday to see how I'm doing, and sometimes I just don't answer. Flashbacks of the night when Jonah turned me replays in my head. How pained I was when I stabbed myself with that stake. How relieved I felt after he bit me, when all that pain went away. But right now, I feel as if I was lifeless.

The sun is going to rise in a few hours, and I wasn't tired. So, I made my way out of my window, leaving Calypso's ring on top of my bed as I slipped out. I didn't bother to run, because I knew I was close. And I knew the sun would go up. I just wanted this to end.

* * *

I made my way into the dark woods, going the opposite way from where I would usually go to head towards Hotel Transylvania. Far from the hotel, there was a large peak that looked like it was sliced at an angle with top of it curled downward. I made my way to the top, and noticed that the sun's light was peaking out from the horizon. _This is it, _I thought. _This is really it. _I looked down, taking a step or two closer to the edge, seeing how steep it was and how far the ground was to me. _Maybe it'll be less painful if I just fall to my death. _But then I remembered. I can heal. Will I be able to heal myself if I fall about a eighty feet to the ground? I turned around, feeling the sun light making the exposed skin on my back and shoulders hot. I took a step backwards, feeling the ground disappearing as I took the step. And then, I just let myself fall. And I fell. I was sure I hit was close to hitting the ground and then -

I was pushed in midair, and the next thing I knew I was hurdling backwards, hitting the rocky wall of a cliff with my back. My eyes were shut, and I slowly opened them, only to see a body pressed up against mine with a pair of arms above my head, holding onto the wall. I looked up at my savior's face and almost bawled. His eyes were fiery red, and his breathing was intense.

"J-" I started, but he cut me off, crashing his lips onto mine. I started crying through kisses, holding onto him for dear life.

"You're stupid," Jonah said in between kisses. "You're. So. So. Stupid." He pulled away slowly, looking me in the eyes for a moment and sighing. "Why would you do that?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Until I could remember something. "You said you'd be back by Christmas. I thought something bad happened to you! I just - -"

"Decided to kill yourself?!" He pulled me into him and we began to fall. He scooped me up in his arms in midair and landed firmly on his feet, then leaped into the air, landing behind a shady tree. "I - - would _never _leave you like that without any answers. And if I died, I would still get someone to tell you my last dying words."

"And what would that be?"

He bit his lip, holding my chin in his thumb and index finger. "It would go a little bit like this: Elora Hawthorne, you drive me _mad. _For every stupid decision you make, you make me want to rip my hair out and punch walls _so _hard that I would be bleeding from the impact. But I've seen you . . . _transform, _if you will, into a beautiful, strong, self-controlled vampire. Nonetheless a woman. You're everything I thought you would be. I love you, Elora." We exchanged smiles and he curled his arms around me. "I was actually coming to see you today. And when I saw you sneak out, I followed you. I didn't think you would jump, and when you did, I freaked out. I actually didn't know if we would land safely. I just acted quickly. You just about made me have a heart attack."

I rested my face on his chest and just stayed there. "Uh, Jonah."

"Yes?"

"I took off Calypso's ring. It's on my bed."

"You WHAT? For damn's sake, Elora, were you really going to kill yourself if you thought I was dead?"

"Well, you didn't come back, so I thought . . ."

"I'm glad I came just in time. From now on, I'm staying. I have to keep a careful eye on you." He smirked, and I was filled with joy, feeling more alive than ever before. "I will _never _leave you again. Now, lets sneak into Hotel Transylvania."

* * *

Our naked bodies were pressed against each other comfortably, blanketed by the soft, silk sheets in hotel room number five. I knew Jonah was sleeping, and when I looked at him, I mean _really _looked at him, my face flushed, remembering what had happened a while ago. I placed a kiss on his cheek and sat up, stretching my arms and turning towards the mirror to see my reflection. And then I remembered. I don't have Calypso's ring. I _can't _see my reflection without it. I looked at Jonah once more, seeing how peaceful he looked. _This _is my fate, not death. I'm a vampire now, not _cursed _to be one, but I'm _gifted. _I _chose _be this, and now that I have Jonah back, everything is better. After all that we've been through, Jonah could've just let me die, if he didn't care about me. He loves me, and I love him. I'm glad he turned me. Because, now, I can spend all of eternity with him.

And to think, I actually thought all of this was fake.

He awoke from his slumber, sitting up and stretching, purposely draping his arms around me and kisses me gently. Jonah repeatedly said, "I'm so sorry I left, I love you," over and over again. I assured him that everything is fine. And then I started asking questions.

"What did you have to do that took so long?" I asked.

"Just . . . business stuff."

"Vampire business?" I shook my head. "Come on, tell me. You owe a freakin' explanation. I jumped off a cliff for you."

He cracked a smile and nodded. "Okay, okay. I left because I heard . . rumors. About Solomon."

"W-what do you mean?"

"That vampire we fought. That was _not _Solomon. I was tracking Solomon down for those two months. But I lost track of him a week ago. So now, I don't know where he is. He's still looking for the rings, though. Solomon knows that you turned into a vampire, too. That's why I kept checking up on you, to see if you were okay. He knew that we would try to fight back, so he hired a vampire equally as strong as him and made him get surgery to redo his whole image. The vampire I killed. It _wasn't _Solomon."

"So, what're you trying to say?"

"What I'm trying to say is, Solomon's alive. And he's looking for you."

**The end (: If you would like me to make a sequel, just let me know by REVIEWING and I will be glad to do so.**


	21. NEW CHARACTERS?

**I want to add more characters to the sequel of this story! There's a limited amount of characters I will add in. There are only 5 SPOTS remaining!**

**Post your review telling me:**

_Male or Female:_

_Name of character:_

_Human or Vampire:_

_Characteristics (hair color, eye color, height, etc.):_

_Age:_

_Personality:_

**I will update this story telling all of my readers about when the sequel will be posted!**


	22. NEW STORY IS OUT

**NEW STORY IS OUT!**

**PLEASE REVIEW ON IT!**

**P.S. I NEED IDEAS ON WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE OF THE SEQUEL! REVIEW YOUR IDEAS OR PM ME (:**


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